I
West of Ireland Paintings at the National Gallery of Irelandfrom 1800 to 2000
II
National Gallery of Ireland / Gailearaí Náisiúnta na hÉireann
West of Ireland Paintings at the National Gallery of Irelandfrom 1800 to 2000Marie Bourke With contributions by Donal Maguire And Sarah Edmondson
The West of Ireland
23 TheWestasaSignificantPlaceforIrishArtists Contributions by Donal Maguire (DM), Administrator, Centre for the Study of Irish Art
24 JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841),The Mill, Ballinrobe,c.1818
25 GeorgePetrie(1790–1866),Pilgrims at Saint Brigid’s Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare,c.1829–30
26 FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),In Joyce Country (Connemara, Co. Galway),c.1840
27 FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child,1841
28 AugustusBurke(c.1838–1891),A Connemara Girl
29 BartholomewCollesWatkins(1833–1891),A View of the Killaries, from Leenane
30 AloysiusO’Kelly(1853–1936),Mass in a Connemara Cabin, c.1883
31 WalterFrederickOsborne(1859–1903),A Galway Cottage, c.1893
32 JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),The Country Shop,c.1912
33 PaulHenry(1876–1958),The Potato Diggers,1912
34 JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),Before the Start,1915
35 CharlesVincentLamb(1893–1964),Loch an Mhuilinn
36 LillianLucyDavidson(1879–1954),Fashions at the Fair,c.1940s
37 MainieJellett(1897–1944),Achill Horses,1941
38 GerardDillon(1916–1971),The Little Green Fields,c.1946–50
39 JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),Men of Destiny,1946
40 KittyWilmerO’Brien(1910–1982),Near Westport, Co. Mayo
41 MauriceMacGonigal(1900–1979),Early Morning, Connemara (Mannin Bay),c.1965
42 RobertBallagh(b.1943),Portrait of Noel Browne (1915–1997), Politician,1985
44 TheTrainingofIrishArtistsandExhibitions
46 SuggestionsforFurtherReading
48 GuidelinesforTeachersSarahEdmondson,ArtTeacher,KillinardenCommunitySchool
62 Acknowledgements
Contents
5 Foreword,Sean Rainbird, Director, National Gallery of Ireland
6 DepictingtheWestofIrelandintheNineteenthandTwentiethCenturies, DrMarieBourke,Keeper,HeadofEducation
6 Introduction:TheLureoftheWest
6 GeorgePetrie(1790–1866),Dún Aonghasa, Inishmore, Aran Islands,c.1827
8 Timeline:KeyDatesinIrishHistoryandCulture,1800–1999
10 CuriosityaboutIreland:Guidebooks,TravelMemoirs
10 JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841),A View of Lough Mask
11 FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),Paddy Conneely (d.1850), a Galway Piper
12 Travel,TransportandCommunication
12 NathanielHoneII(1831–1917),The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, c.1890
13 PaulHenry(1876–1958),Launching the Currach,1910–11
13 InterestintheWest:IrishandOverseasPainters
14 WilliamEvans(1798–1877),Buttermilk Lane, Galway, 1838
14 HarryClarke(1889–1931),Landscape by the Coast,1910
15 SadbhTrínseach(1891–1918),Claude Chavasse Teaching an Irish Class on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, 1913–14
16 GeraldL.Brockhurst(1890–1978),Irish Peasants,1916
17 JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),A Cleric,1913
18 SeánKeating(1889–1977),A Seascape with Figures, c.1930s
18 IssuesofNationalIdentity
19 NiallNaessens(b.1961), Rain over a Bog, after Emil Nolde, 1997
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The National Gallery of Ireland houses the national collection of Irish art, including the national portrait collectionandtheYeatsarchive.ThispublicationfocusesonoverthirtyimagesoftheWestcreatedbyIrish-bornartistsorofIrishdecentbetween1800to2000.Ithasbeenwrittentodrawattentiontotherangeandvarietyofworksinthecollectionthatbeartestamenttotheen-during attraction of the West of Ireland.Theintroductoryessayprovidesanoverviewofwhat
constitutestheappealoftheWest,startingwithcuriosityaboutthemorepicturesqueareasofthecountry,whichiswhattraditionallyattractedartistsandtravellerstoIreland. Thisincludesmaps,togetherwithguidebooksandtravelmemoirs,thatnotaloneprovidedinforma-tion,butmanywereillustratedbyartistsprovidingearlytopographicalviewsofthecountry.ThisareaofIrelandwasremoteinthenineteenthcenturyandittookinitia-tivessuchastheconstructionofroadsandrailwaystoaugmentearlytravelbyfoot,horseback,carriageandboat.InspiteofthistherewasconsiderableinterestbyIrishandoverseaspaintersintheWest,includingthosewhocamefromBritainandAmerica.Thereactionofart-iststotheunspoiledWesternlandscapeandlifestyleiswhatformsthesubjectofthisbook.Theessayconcludeswithanexplorationofconceptsofnationalidentityandthe‘Irishness’ofthelandscapenotinghowartistshavecontinuedtolookedafreshatthissubjecttofindcon-temporaryrelevanceintheWest.Thereisausefultime-line of dates in Irish history and culture and information onthetrainingofIrishartistsandexhibitionvenues,tohelpprovideaframeworkforthebook.
Includedarenineteen individual entries looking atWesternpaintingsfrombetween1818to1985createdby artists from James Arthur O’Connor and George Pet-rietoMainieJellettandRobertBallagh,withcontribu-tionsbyDonalMaguire.AsectiondevotedtoguidelinesforteachershasbeencompiledbySarahEdmondson.ThebookisavailableasadownloadablepdfontheNGIwebsite@www.nationalgallery.ie/learning,providinganaccessible resource for schools, as noted in The Arts in Education Charter(2012).I am indebted to the following for their assistance
onthisproject:MarieBourke,HeadofEducationwhohaswrittenthebookwithcontributionsbySarahEd-mondsonandDonalMaguire.My thanksalso to theDepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltachtandtheDepartmentofEducationandSkillsfortheirassistance,and to Matheson foritssupportofChildren’sandFamilyProgrammes at the National Gallery of Ireland. Ihopethatvisitorsfromnearandafarwillenjoythis
bookabouttheWestofIreland–whichformsasourceofinspirationforsomuchoftheartandliteratureaboutthiscountry–illustratedinthepaintings,drawingsandprintsfromtheNationalGalleryofIreland.
Foreword SeanRainbird,Director,TheNationalGalleryofIreland
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toSligo,includingConnemara.Theearlierpaintingsil-lustratepeoplewhowerepoorandsurvivedthroughfishing,farminganddomesticspinning,andwereen-tertainedbymusicanddance,atatimewhensocietywas largelydividedbyclass,religionandpolitics.Thepaintingstheyinspiredofferaglimpseintothesociallife,historyandfolkloreofpre-andpost-FamineConnacht.TheWestwasaremoteplaceinthenineteenthcen-
turyanditsproximitytotheAtlanticOceanmeantthattherewas extensiveuseof the sea. The countrysideandmountainoustractswerestony,difficulttoharvest,andoftenlonelyplacesinwhichtolive,untiltheareawasopeneduptotransportandcommunication.Atthebeginningof thetwentiethcentury, JackB.Yeatswasamonganewgenerationofartistswhohopedthatanewly independent Irelandwoulddevelopamodernculturethatrespectedtraditionalmusic,artformsandliterature.1 Saorstát Éireann, published as the officialhandbookoftheIrishFreeStatein1932,wassymbolicofthisvision.ThehandbookincludedfourteenimagesoftheWestbyartists,includingSeánKeatingandMau-rice MacGonigal.2RecentwriterslikeTimRobinson,whomappedthegeographyandtopographyoftheBurren,ConnemaraandtheAranIslandsandmetthepeopleof the countryside, described Connemara as a ‘land of “dappled things” – complicated skies, ripplingwater-surfaces,tussockyhillsides’.3Duringthetwentiethcen-tury,despitepoliticalupheavals,Irelandbecamemoreprosperousandurbanised,society lessstratifiedandmorefocusedonincome,andthequalityoflifeformanypeopleimproved,includingthoselivingintheWest.
Theconceptofnational identity, theexplorationofwhat is unique about theWest of Ireland andwhatconstitutes the ‘Irishness’of the landscapecontinuestointerestartistsinthetwenty-firstcentury,manyhav-inglookedatthissubjectafreshthroughphotography,installation,video,digitalmediaandfilm.Thesevisualinterpretationsreflectnewideasandconceptsfor‘imag-ining’aplacethatcontinuestobeanenduringsourceofinspiration.Thus,foravarietyofreasonsandforacross-sectionofpeopleinarangeofdisciplines,theWesthascometoberegardedasrepresentativeofaplacethatretainsasenseofanauthenticwayoflifefromanear-liertime.TheWestofIreland,whichformsasourceofinspirationforsomuchoftheartandliteratureaboutthis country, is discussed here, illustrated through the workof Irish-bornartistsorartistsof Irishdescent inpaintings,drawingsandprintsfromtheNationalGalleryof Ireland.
Introduction:TheLureoftheWestThe West of Ireland’s enduring attraction for artists is partlyduetothefactthattraditionalcustomsandwaysoflifewerevisibletherelongaftertheyhaddisappearedelsewhere.SimilartoFranceinthelaternineteenthcen-tury,whenpaintersflockedfromParistoBrittanytore-cordanancientyetdecliningBretoncultureandlifestyle,inthenineteenthandtwentiethcenturies,artiststrav-elledtotheWestofIrelandtoimmersethemselvesinanunspoiledlandscapeinhabitedbypeoplewhospokeIrish,woretheirownstyleofclothingandlivedoffthe
landandthesea.Theseartistswereinspiredbythewild-nessoftheremoteunfamiliarlandscapeandthelifeoftheIrishruralcommunities.Theyfoundeveryplacehaditstraditions,everynameits localhistoryandpoetry,andeverytownlanditsarchaeologyandfolklorewiththepeoplethemselvesbearingtestamenttotherich-ness of this inheritance. The imagery that these artists produced,depictingthewaypeoplelived,oftencamewithanimpliedsenseofauthenticitythatreflectedtheartist’sownpersonalimpressionsofruralIreland.TheWestportrayedinthisbookencompassescountiesClare
Depicting the West of Ireland in the Nineteenth and Twentieth Centuries DrMarieBourke,Keeper,HeadofEducation
GeorgePetrie(1790–1866),Dún Aonghasa, Inishmore, Aran Islands,c.1827.Watercolour and graphite on paper, 29.8 x 46.4 cm. Provenance unknown. NGI.7481
The Fort of Aengus is the largest of the promontory stone forts and one of the most important archaeological sites on the Aran Islands. Situated one hundred metres above the Atlantic Ocean, it is enclosed by three concentric stone walls and a chevaux de frise defence of upright stones set in the hard ground. Petrie was one of the first artists to paint on the Aran Islands in 1821.
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1932 EconomicTariffWarbetweenBritainandIreland(1932–1938)
1935 IrishFolkloreCommissionisestablished1938 DouglasHyde(1860–1947)becomesPresident
of Ireland1939 SecondWorldWar(1939–1945).Stateof
emergency declared, Ireland neutral1942 PatrickKavanagh’s(1904–1967)epicpoem
The Great Hunger1949 IrelandActpassedinBritaininresponseto
theRepublicofIrelandAct(1948).MáirtínÓCadhain’s(1907–1970)novelCré na Cille
1951 ArtsCouncil/AnChomhairleEalaíonisestablished
1951 MinisterforHealthresignsoverrejectionofMother&ChildScheme(enacted1953)
1955 Ireland admitted to United Nations1958 T.K.Whitaker’s(b.1916)Economic Development
ispublished1958 FirstprogrammeforEconomicExpansion
(1963–1944and1969)1960 RadióTelifísÉireannRTÉisestablished1962 Arts Council of Northern Ireland is established1963 IntroductionofPatrickHillery’splanforuniversal
secondary education1969 SamuelBeckett(1906–1989)NobelPrizefor
Literature1972 ‘BloodySunday’,andstartofDirectRulein
Northern Ireland1973 IrishRepublicjoinsEEC1973 NorthernIrelandAssembly,power-sharing
executivefounded1980 BrianFriel’s(b.1929)Translationsperformedby
FieldDayCompany,Derry1985 Anglo-IrishAgreement1990 MaryRobinsonelectedfirstwomanPresident
of Ireland1991 IrishMuseumofModernArtopened1993 DepartmentofArts,CultureandtheGaeltachtis
established
1995 SeamusHeaney(1939–2013)NobelPrizeforLiterature
1995 HeritageCouncilbecomesstatutorybody1997 Establishment of the National Museum of
Ireland,DecorativeArtsandHistory,andTheHuntMuseum,Limerickopened
1998 GoodFridayAgreement.FormationofMuseumsand Galleries of Northern Ireland
Timeline:KeyDatesinIrishHistoryandCulture,1800–19991800 TheActofUnion.MariaEdgeworth’s(1768–1849)
novelCastle Rackrent 1803 Unsuccessful Rising organised by Robert Emmet
(1778–1803)1824 OrdnanceSurvey,Irelandestablished1829 CatholicEmancipationAct1830 WilliamCarleton’s(1794–1869)novelTraits and
Stories of the Irish Peasantry1831 Establishment of the National School elementary
education system 1831 BelfastNaturalHistoryMuseumopened1838 EducationActsenactedinIreland.PoorLawsfor
Ireland enacted1838 FatherMathewTemperanceMovement1842 YoungIrelandMovement1843 The NationfoundedbyThomasDavis,Charles
GavanDuffy,JohnBlakeDillon1845 TheFamine(1845–1850)1845 GeologicalSurveyAct.Queen’sCollegessetup
inCork,BelfastandGalway1849 Encumbered Estates Act facilitates sale of land1853 DublinInternationalExhibitionofArt-Industry,
LeinsterLawn1854 Act to establish National Gallery of Ireland
(opens1864)1854 EstablishmentoftheCatholicUniversityof
Ireland1857 EstablishmentoftheDublinNaturalHistory
Museum 1857 CharlesStewartParnell(1846–1891)electedMP
for Meath1870 Gladstone’s1stLandAct1877 Act to establish Museum of Science and Art,
andNationalLibrary(opens1890)1879 LandLeaguefoundedbyMichaelDavitt
(1846–1906)1884 Gaelic Athletic Association founded1887 LightRailwaysActenacted1890 EstablishmentofBelfastArtGalleryandMuseum
1891 CongestedDistrictsBoardssetuptoalleviateruralpovertyinagriculture,fisheriesanddomestic industries in the Western counties
1893 GaelicLeaguefoundedbyEoinMcNeillandDouglasHyde
1895 OscarWilde’s(1854–1900)firstperformanceof The Importance of Being Earnest
1898 IrishLiteraryTheatrefounded,1904becomes the Abbey Theatre
1899 DepartmentofAgricultureandTechnicalInstruction, Ireland established
1907 RiotingatJ.M.Synge’s(1871–1909)Playboy of the Western World, Abbey Theatre
1902 LandConferencefollowedbyWyndham’sLandPurchase Act
1908 MunicipalGalleryofModernArtfoundedbyHughLane(1875–1915)
1910 LordWilliamCarsonbecomesleaderoftheIrishUnionists
1913 IrishVolunteersandCumannNamBánfounded.DublinStrikesandLock-Out
1914 FirstWorldWar(1914–1918).Americaenters1917.HomeRuleBillsuspended
1916 Easter Rising1919 WarofIndependence(1919–1921)1920 GovernmentofIrelandAct.Six-county
parliament/administrationinNorthernIreland1921 Anglo-IrishTreaty1921 JamesCraigfirstPrimeMinisterand,in1922
SpecialPowersAct–NorthernIreland1922 ProvisionalGovernmentformed1922 JamesJoyce’s(1882–1941)novelUlysses 1922 CivilWar(1922–1923).IrishFreeState1923 W.B.Yeats(1865–1939)NobelPrizeforLiterature1925 G.B.Shaw(1856–1950)NobelPrizeforLiterature1925 RemainingtenantedlandvestedinLand
Commission1926 RiotingatSeánO’Casey’s(1880–1964)The Plough
and the Stars, Abbey Theatre1929 BelfastMunicipalMuseumandArtGalleryopens
(1961,TheUlsterMuseum)
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ofthecountry:‘Irelandaboundseverywherewithnoble-men’sandgentlemen’sseats;butthesedidnotexcitemycuriositylikethenaturalbeautiesandwondersofthecountry’.5HerexperiencewasechoedbytheAmericantravellerAsenathNicholson (1792–1855),whowalkedthroughConnemarain1844,‘Myjourneylaythroughawildmountainouscountry’.Thewritingsofthesevisitorsillustratedthefactthatthemorecurioustravellersman-agedtomaketheirwaytotheremoterpartsofIreland.6 New guide books and travelmemoirs encouraged
EnglishtravellerstojourneyacrosstoIrelandduringthenineteenthcentury,whenforsocialandpoliticalreasonstherewasmuchcontactbetweenthecountries.Newillustratedguidebooks,suchasHenryD.Inglis’s(1795–1835)A Journey through Ireland throughout the Spring, Summer and Autumn of 1834 (1835),containedmapstohelpthevisitor.JohnBarrow’s(1808–1898)Tour Round Ireland, through the Seacoast Counties, in the Autumn of 1835 (1836)isconsideredthefirsttravelnarrativeillus-tratedbyaprofessionalpainter,DanielMaclise(1806–1870). The Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland(1840)byN.P. WillisandJ.StirlingCoynecontainedoveronehundredandfourteenimagesofantiquitiesandtownviewsillus-tratedbyWilliamHenryBartlett(1809–1854).Oneofthemostwell-knownbookswasthecomprehensivethree-volumetravelnarrativebyMrandMrsSamuelC.Hall,entitled Ireland: Its Scenery, Character Etc. (1841–1843).TheHallswereaccompaniedbytheEnglishdraughts-man,FrederickWilliamFairholt(1814–1866)ontheirtour.Theyemployedeighteenartiststoillustratetheirguides,fromwhichtheNationalGalleryofIrelandholdsnineengravings.Photographyinthelatenineteenthcenturyalsoformedanimportantrecordofviewscreatedforthecommercialpostcardmarket.TheLawrence,Eason,Valentine,PooleandWynnecollections(NationalLibraryofIreland),withphotographsforpostcards,includesacollectionofcolourphotographsbyMmesMespouletandMignonfromParisshowingtheimpoverishedlivingconditionsintheWestin1913.7
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),Paddy Conneely, (d.1850), a Galway Piper. Graphite and watercolour on paper, 34.3 x 26 cm. Bequeathed, Miss Annie Callwell, 1904. NGI.6036
The pipes, fiddle and flute overtook the harp as a popular instrument by the early nineteenth century. Music was played everywhere: public houses, fairs, farm kitchens, crossroads and the best drawing rooms. Burton painted Paddy Conneely, the celebrated piper, about 1840, at the time that Petrie was meeting the piper to transcribe his music. Conneely may be in his late 30s or early 40s and he plays a set of Uilleann pipes. While editor of The Irish Penny Journal, Petrie featured a leading article on 3 October 1840, entitled ‘Paddy Coneely, The Galway Piper’, which was illustrated by an engraving of this watercolour.
CuriosityaboutIreland:GuideBooks, TravelMemoirsCuriosityabout thepicturesqueareasof thecountryis what traditionally attracted artists and travellersto Ireland.Topographical viewsofplaces likePower-scourtWaterfall,Co.WicklowandtheLakesofKillar-ney,Co.Kerryexisted,togetherwithabodyoffinelateeighteenth-centurylandscapepaintings.TheWestwasveryremoteatthistime.Gradually, throughpracticalactivities,suchasthearchaeologicalsurveyofConnachtundertakenbytheantiquariansGabrielBerangerandAngeloMariaBigariin1779,artistsweredrawntothearea.4Travelwasaidedbynewguidebooksanddirec-
tories, including the Antiquities of Ireland 2 Vols (1791and1797)acollaborationbetweenFrancisGroseandEdwardLedwich,withdrawingsbyavarietyofartists; Cromwell’sExcursions through Ireland (1820);andGeorgeNewen-hamWright’sguidespublishedinthe1820sand1830s.AsIrishauthorsandwriterswithIrishconnections,in-cludingMaria Edgeworth, SydneyOwenson, ThomasMaturine,theBanimBrothers,ThomasMoore,WilliamCarleton,ThomasCroftonCrokerandtheartistSamuelLover,gainedpublicreputations,attentionwasdrawntoIrishhistoryandfolklore.AnnePlumptre(1760–1818),anearlynineteenth-centuryEnglishvisitor,noticedthedifferencebetweenthelandedestatesandwilderparts
JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841),A View of Lough Mask. Oil on canvas, 42 x 71 cm. Purchased 1970. NGI.4013
This panoramic view of Lough Mask and surrounding countryside is one of four paintings of Ballinrobe c.1818–19, that illustrate O’Connor’s self-taught style of finely painted picture surface and precise brushwork. It is one of a number of works that show O’Connor’s early appreciation of the wild beauty of the West of Ireland.
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InterestintheWest:IrishandOverseasPaintersAlthoughthenineteenthcenturywasaperiodofunrestandturbulenceontheContinent,arisingfromtheimpactoftheFrenchRevolutionandotherconflicts,itwasatimeofrelativepoliticalstabilityinIreland,despitetherecentFamine.SincethefoundationoftheOldWatercolourSo-cietyinLondonin1805,EnglishpaintershadbeenavidlyexploringthelandscapeofEngland,ScotlandandWales,andtravellingtoIrelandseemedtobeanaturalprogres-sion.TherehadbeenearliervisitsbyBritishartiststoIreland:CorneliusVarley(1781–1873)camein1808attheinvitationofLadyOliviaSparrowofTanderageeCastle,Co. Armagh (see NGI.19624),andhemayhavevisitedonotheroccasions;GeorgeFennellRobson(1788–1833)paintedinCountyKerrybetween1828and1832,andwasincontactwithPetrie;whileMariaSpilsbury(1776–1820),whomarriedJohnTaylorin1809,movingtoDublinin1810,
PaulHenry(1876–1958),Launching the Currach,1910–11.Oil on canvas, 41 x 60 cm. Purchased 1968. NGI.1869. © Estate of Paul Henry. All rights reserved, IVARO, 2014
An early Achill scene painted at a time when figures were his main preoccupation, Henry observed the difficult life of the fishermen heaving their currach, heavy with fishing nets, into the oncoming tide. Achill was the defining moment of his career and his portrayal of the Western landscape came to represent the image of the West of Ireland.
TransportandCommunicationsTravel through theWestof Ireland in theearlynine-teenthcenturywaslimitedbythelackofroads.Peoplejourneyedthroughtheroughterrainonfoot,onhorse-backorbyboat.In1813,theScottishengineerAlexanderNimmo(1783–1832)beganworkinginConnemara,andfrom1820hemanagedarangeoffamine-reliefschemesthatinvolvedbuildingpiersaroundtheGalwaycoast-line,foundingthevillageofRoundstoneanddevelop-ing carriage roads from Oughterard to Clifden and from MaamCrosstoLeenane,therebyopeninguptheareato transport and communication. From the early tomid-nineteenthcentury,Bianconi’sregularhorse-drawncoachescarriedpassengersallover the country, includ-ingaroutefromGalwaytoClifden.OtherfactorsthatopeneduptheareaincludedthemappingundertakenbytheOrdnanceSurveyofIreland(1824),theactivitiesoftheBoardofWorks/OPW(1831)andtheexplorationsoftheGeologicalSurveyofIreland(1845).GeorgePetrie(1790–1866)wasapivotalfigureinhisroleasheadofplacenamesandantiquitiesat theOrdnanceSurvey.Petriewasappointedheadofthetopographicalsectionbetweenc.1833–1846andranhisofficefromhishomeinGreat Charles Street, Dublin. A team of scholars and art-iststranslatedandrecordedthegeology,placenamesandarchaeologyofIreland,withillustrationsoftheland-scapebyAndrewNicholl,FrancisDanby,GeorgeVictorduNoyerandW.F.Wakeman.Mapswerealsoimportantinnavigatingroutes.Thetopographicalmaps(6inchesto1mile,1:10,560)completedbytheSurvey,countybycounty,between1832to1846,werenotablyattentivetoantiquities.Therailwaynetworkwasanothermajordevelopment.
Followingtheopeningofthefirstrailwayin1834fromDublin to Kingstown (Dún Laoghaire), different com-paniesopeneduplinesanditwasagreatbonuswhentheGreatMidlandWesternRailwaylinetoGalwaywasextendedin1895toClifden,andin1895fromWestportto Achill.8ThepublicationofThe Nation, aweeklynews-paperfoundedbyThomasDavisandfellowYoungIre-landersin1842,mayhavewidenedinterestduetothepaper’scoverageofliteratureandculturalevents.Pet-
riewasacontributortothepaperandFredericBurtoncompletedthefrontispieceforThe Spirit of the Nation in 1845.9Prints,broadsides,journalsandnewspaperskeptpeopleinformedandcouldbespottedonthewallsoron dressers in the interiors of many Irish cottages. The latenineteenth-centurypoetandfolkloristSeumasMac-Manus(1869–1960)noted,‘Theyweretheeverydayread-ing of Donegal’.10Themid-centuryimpactoftheGreatFamine(1845–1850)changedmuchinIrishlifethroughdeathandemigration. Itwas recordedby theartistsAloysiusO’KellyandJamesMahony(1810–1879)forthe Illustrated London News. The construction of roads as a famine-reliefmeasurewasalsoundertakenduringthistime.MountingtheDublin InternationalExhibitionofArt-Industryin1853wasaninitiativetotrytoimprovetheeconomyandrestoretheconfidenceofthepeople.
NathanielHoneII(1831–1917),The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, c.1890.Watercolour with white highlights. Bequeathed, Mrs Hone, The Artist’s Widow, 1919. NGI .3374
It is likely that Hone toured the remote areas of counties Sligo, Mayo and Clare by train. His only employment was for a short time as an engineer on the Midland Great Railway. Having undertaken landscape and sea studies on a visit to Co. Clare c. 1890, this watercolour shows his fascination with the Altantic Ocean, in a dramatic portrayal of the famous cliffs of Moher.
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Whiteboy (1835–36),alsoentitledThe Peep-o’-Day Boys’ Cabin (Edgeworthexpressedmixedviewsoverthein-terpretationofthiswork),and The Irish Whiskey Still (1836and1840).Bothworks,exhibitedattheRoyalAcademy,wouldhaveservedtodrawattentiontotheWestofIre-land.In1836,encouragedbythesalesofhispaintings,EvansexhibitedotherworksinLondondevelopedfromsketchesmadeinConnemaraaroundMaam,RenvyleandKillary.EvansreturnedtoIrelandin1838togathermaterialforexhibitions,continuingtotakecaretode-pictthelocalpeopleandtheirlandscapewithsensitivity,andshowinghisworkattheOldWatercolourSociety.AnumberofthesedrawingswereusedbytheHallstoillustratetheir1843guidebook.Theportfolioofforty-onewatercolourdrawingsbyEvans,relatingtohis1838Connemaratrip,waspurchasedbytheNationalGalleryofIrelandin2008,fromadescendentofThomasGam-bierParry(1816–1888),whoacquiredthemfromtheart-ist.Evans’sawarenessofcontemporaryartistsmayhavebeenduetohisknowledgeofPetrie,LoverorBurton,whosketchedinConnemarabetween1838and1840,andwhoseA Clare Peasantwasexhibitedat theRHA in1838.Themid to later nineteenth century witnessed an
increase in overseas painters visiting Ireland, whomayhavebeeninfluencedbytravelguidesortheIrishsubjectsexhibitedattheOldWatercolourSocietyandRoyalAcademyamongothervenues.ThesestimulatedfurtherincursionsbyBritishartistsinthe1840s,includ-ingFrederickGoodall(1822–1909),AlfredDowningFripp(1822–1895)andFrancisWilliamTopham (1808–1877),threeartists,whoeachinhisownway,depictedwithrealismthetoughlifestyleofthepeople.Manyofthevisitingartists,while interested ingenresubjectmat-ter,particularlyifitelicitedsympathy,avoideddepict-ing issues such as poverty, destitution or agrarianconflict. This is understandablewithin a nineteenth-century search for picturesque imagery, when art-ists were concerned with painting subject pictures and landscapes thatwould appeal to the expandingnineteenth-centuryartmarket.TheScottishartistErskine Nicol(1825–1904), journeyedtoIrelandregularlyfrom
1846onwardsandhadastudioinCountyWestmeath.HevisitedtheWestinthemidtolate1850spaintingarangeoffigurativesubjectsinGalwayandConnemara.Although known for his humorous themes and Irishgenrescenes,intendedforabroadcommercialappeal,hisportrayalofseriouspoliticalandtopicalsubjectspro-videdanenduringpresenceintheEdinburgh,Londonand Dublin art scene. The English painterGeorgeWashington Brownlow
(1835–1876),travelledtoConnemarainthe1880s,includ-ingatriptotheAranIslands,theresultsofwhichheshowedattheRHA,RoyalSocietyofBritishArtists,and
SadbhTrínseach(1891–1918),Claude Chavasse Teaching an Irish Class on Achill Island, Co. Mayo, 1913–14.Charcoal on paper, 55.7 x 77.3 cm. Presented, Mrs D, Coffey, 1966. NGI.3812
Francis Trench was born in Liverpool of Irish parents and educated on the Continent. A fervent nationalist, she was known as Sadbh Trínseach when she became an artist. In 1911 she attended Irish college in Keel, Achill. This charcoal drawing shows Claude Chavasse, who had learned the language, teaching Irish on Achill. Preserving the Irish language would become important in the new state. Trínseach died aged twenty-four from the great flu.
documentedruralanddomesticlifeinearlynineteenth-century Ireland.11JamesArthurO’ConnorpaintedintheWestofIreland,andfromthe1820s,Petriewasacon-stantpresenceintouchwithartists, includingSamuelLoverandFredericBurton.Petrie showednumerous
WesternsubjectsattheRHAbetween1827and1858.Thisbriefoutlinedoesnot includeall theartistswhopaintedintheWest.TheIrishartistSamuelLover(1797–1868)visitedthe
Westbetweenthe1820sand1840spaintingscenesofrurallife,includingthekelpgatherersinConnemara.Hisantiquarian landscapespublishedintheDublin Penny Journalwerereprintedas Ireland Illustratedin1845.LoverwouldbecomeasuccessfulfigureinLondon.TheEnglishdrawingmasterWilliamEvansofEton(1798–1877),vis-itedIrelandinthesummerof1835,andmayhaveusedInglis’s A Journey through Ireland toplanhistrip,fillinghissketchbookwithWestofIrelandscenes.Hesubse-quentlyshowedtheseattheOldWatercolourSociety’sannualexhibition,allofwhichsold.In1835,duringthesamesummerthatEvansvisitedIreland,theScottishart-istDavidWilkie(1785–1841)touredthecountrybetweenAugustandSeptember,usingDublinasaspringboardtotravelfromMayothroughConnemaratoKerry,visit-ingMarieEdgeworthenrouteinEdgeworthstown,Co.Longford.WhileinterestedintheartisticpotentialoftheWest,hewasshockedbythepoverty.Theoutcomeofhistripwasanumberofworks,includingThe Sleeping
WilliamEvans(1798–1877),Buttermilk Lane, Galway, 1838.Watercolour and graphite with white highlights on paper, 58.8 x 43 cm. Purchased 2008. NGI 2008.36.25
Evans’ watercolour studies of 1835 and 1838 describe an area not well represented at that time by drawings. The English artist’s second trip found him in Galway on 17 August 1838. Evans depicts a city where the late fifteenth-century lane still survives, preserving much of its medieval plan and buildings, showing a colourful lively scene of women selling produce in the busy lane.
HarryClarke(1889–1931),Landscape by the Coast,1910.Oil on panel, 14 x 35 cm. Purchased 1982. NGI.4358
Clarke first visited the Aran Islands in 1909 inspired by the writings of J.M. Synge. Over his following five summer trips, he stayed with the Conneely family on Inisheer. In August 1910, he did a number of landscape studies, this one seemingly taken from the island, looking towards Fanore on the north-east coast of County Clare.
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Theirsportsandentertainmentincludedhorseracing,hurlingandGaelicfootball,andlisteningtotheseanchítelling stories, and singing and dancing to musicians at localceílí.WhilepeoplespokeIrish,attendedreligiousservicesandpassedtheircustomsfromonegenerationtothenext,hispaintingsshowhowtheywereconstantlychallengedwiththeonlyalternativebeingemigration.Yeats’sportrayalof this lifestyleand recordof somepoliticaleventsillustratedthetransitionfromthelatenineteenthcenturythroughtothenewstate,asthepat-tern of interest in the Western lifestyle continued into thetwentiethcentury.
IssuesofNationalIdentityandIdentitiesWhentheLiteraryRevivalemergedattheendofthenine-teenthcentury,poetsandplaywrightssuchasGeorgeRussell,W.B.Yeats,LadyGregoryandJ.M.Syngelookedtowardsnativethemesforinspirationastheywerecon-sideredimportanttothoseinvolvedinIrishculturallife.Bytheturnofthecentury,theWestanditstraditionalcultureformedanexpressionofanationalidentitythathad rural,pastoralandancientCelticovertones.Theearlytwentiethcentury,however,wasatimeofpoliti-calunrest in Ireland.TheEasterRising(1916)beganachainofeventsthatculminatedinthecreationoftheIrishFreeStateandthestateofNorthernIreland.14 The brilliant IrishdraughtsmanWilliamOrpen (1878–1931)viewedWesternsubjectmatterfromamoreambigu-ousperspective.HisThe Holy Well(1916)(NGI.4030)por-traysatraditional‘patternday’,whenpeoplegatheredtoprayataholysiteassociatedwithalocalsaint;inthisinstance,thelocationisanislandofftheWestofIreland.ThepaintingisfullofincongruitiesandwasoneofthreepicturescreatedbyOrpenbetween1913and1916, toexpresshiscomplexfeelingsaboutIrelandanditsas-sociationwithWesternculture.TheAmericanpainterRobertHenri(1865–1929)visitedAchillIslandbetween1913and1928,creatingaseriesofaccomplishedWesternportraits.AnothervisitorwastheEnglishpainterGeraldL.Brockhurst(1890–1978),wholivedinIrelandbetweenc.1915to1920,whenhepaintedaseriesoffineportraitsset in thebackgroundofConnemara.Thepatternof
theBritishInstitution,promotingawarenessoftheaes-theticpotentialofIreland.TheAmericanpainterHowardHelmick(1845–1907)whowasinIrelandinthe1870sand1880s,settlinginGalwayforatime,wasfascinatedwithIrishcountrylife,whichheportrayedinruralsubjectsanddetailedinteriorsofmodestlycomfortablepeople.Contemporary with him was Josephine Lizzie Cloud(fl.1870–1880s),anAmericanartistandwriterbasedinGalway,whotravelledinConnemarabetweenthe1870sand1880ssketchingtoillustratearticlesthatshewrote.12 TheEnglishpainterErnestA.Waterlow(1850–1919)jour-
GeraldL.Brockhurst(1890–1978),Irish Peasants,1916.Pen, brush and ink, 54 x 36.8 cm. Presented, Friends of the National Collections, 2013. NGI.2013. © The Artist’s Estate.
The English artist visited Ireland in the early twentieth century where he created images of rural people, this one dated 1916. The central figure looks directly out while the woman in a black shawl casts her eyes down. The graphically defined portrait is an unsentimental image of Western people with weathered faces set against the landscape of Galway and Connemara.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),A Cleric,1913.Oil on board, 36.3 x 23.3 cm. Presented, the Executors of the late Mr W. Cadbury, 1966. NGI.1804. © Estate of Jack B. Yeats. All rights reserved, DACS, 2014
An early oil by Yeats, this is one of twelve portraits painted to illustrate George Birmingham’s book Irishmen All (1913). The cleric, a man of authority and compassion with a sympathetic air, walks the roads of his parish, noting building works, observing activity on the quay with Ben Bulben in the background. Artist and author had a similar approach, which accorded with Yeats’s illustrations rooted in the West of Ireland.
neyedtothewestcoastinthe1880spaintinganumberofimportantConnemarascenes,includingapictureofapilgrimagetoStMacDara’sIslandtomarkthesaint’sfeastday.WilliamHenryBartlett,whoillustratedWillisand Coyne’s Scenery and Antiquities of Ireland,spentaconsiderabletimeinIrelandpaintinginConnemaraandCountyMayobetweenthe1870sand1890s.Hisgenuineinterestinthepeoplewasillustratedinhiscarefulpor-trayalofaspectsoftheirhardlifestyle.Inthelaternine-teenthcentury,ahostofartistsshowedaninterestinWesternsubjects,includingPatrickVincentDuffy,Stan-hopeForbesandHarryJonesThaddeus.In1889,Cork-bornThaddeus(1860–1929)producedasceneofAn Irish Eviction, Co. Galway,viewedfromanunusualperspective–thatoftheinhabitantsbeingattackedpriortoeviction.Whileremarkableforitsemotionalanddescriptivepow-er,itconveysasenseofempathywiththevictimswhoaredefendingtheirownhome.ThiswasverydifferenttothesocietyportraitsforwhichThaddeuswassowellknown.ItwasexhibitedattheRHAin1890,notlongaftertheestablishmentoftheLandLeague.Graphicimagesofevictionsfromthelate1880sinphotographsandinprintsillustratedinjournalsalsoreflectedconcernsoverlandownershipandtenancy,highlightingcasualtiesofthe landwarsduringacenturyoftraumaintheIrishcountryside.13 In1905,theartistJackB.Yeats(1871–1957)accompa-
nied JohnMillingtonSynge(whohadvisitedtheAranIslands in1898and1899)onatourof theCongestedDistrictsareaofsouthConnemaraandMayomakingil-lustrations for Synge’s articles for the Manchester Guard-ian. Yeats’sfirstworkexhibitedattheRHAwasthewa-tercolour The Strand Races, West of Ireland(1895).HisfirstexhibitionofIrishimagery,Sketches of Life in the West of Ireland, wasin1899.ThatyearhevisitedCoolePark,thehomeofLadyGregory,andmetkeyfiguresoftheIrishLiteraryRevival.PaulHenry(1876–1958)developedanindividualstyleoflandscapepaintingthatalsobecameemblematicoftheWestofIreland.However,Yeats’sex-tensiveoutputportrayedthesituationofmostWesternpeople,wholivedadifficultexistencewithlargefami-liessurvivingonsmallholdingsbyfarmingorfishing.
emigrationcontinued into the twentiethcenturyandfeaturedinsocialrealistpaintingsbyKeating,MacGoni-galandinworksbyLambandDillon.TheEnglishartistElizabethRivers (1902–1964) livedontheAranIslands
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stylesdepictedinthisbookdisappeared.Inmanyways,theearlierpaintingscapturetheatmosphereandsenseofaplaceexperiencingarapidlyvanishingworld.Inspiteofthis,adeeprootedconvictioncontinuestolingerthattheWestisassociatedwithconceptsofIrishauthenticityandidentity.Thisvisionremainscentraltotheresponseofmanyartistswhofindnewwaystoinvesttheirworkwithacontemporaryrelevancethatistestimonytotheongoing attraction of the West of Ireland.
NiallNaessens(b.1961),Rain over a Bog, after Emil Nolde, 1997.Etching on velin arche blanc paper, Sheet 65.5 x 50 cm (plate 29.3 x 29.6 cm). Commissioned, National Gallery of Ireland, 1995. NGI.20883. © Niall Naessans.
This print, inspired by Nolde’s watercolour Rain over a Marsh (NGI.7767), was commissioned as part of a series for an NGI exhibition Art into Art (1998), created by invited artists and members of Graphic Studio Dublin, inspired by the NGI collection. In the 1990s, Dublin artist Niall Naessens often drew in the area between Roundstone and Clifden. Fascinated by the ever-changing Western skies, the key to the success of this work, he visualised this scene taking place in a bog of inner Connacht.17
1 H.Pyle.Jack B. Yeats: Life in the West of Ireland – as it Was. Dublin2003.
2 B.Hobson(Ed.).Saorstát Eireann, Irish Free State Official Handbook. Dublin1932.
3 T.Robinson.‘AConnemaraFractal’inDecoding the Landscape, byT.Collins(Ed.).Galway1994,reprinted1997.
4 P.Harbison.‘Our Treasures of Antiquities’, Beranger and Bigiari’s Sketching Tour of Connaught in 1779.Bray2002.
5 A.Plumptre.Narrative of a Residence in Ireland during the Summer of 1814 and that of 1815. London1817.p.215
6 A.Nicholson.Ireland’s Welcome to the Stranger. London1847.p.3717 ForinformationonIrishartcontacttheNGICentrefortheStudy
ofIrishArt:[email protected]’scollectionseewww.nationalgalllery.ie/collection.
8 Bicyclesprovidedusefultransportintheearlytwentiethcentury.9 BalladsandsongswrittenbywritersofThe Nationwererepublished
as Spirit of the Nationin1845.AttherequestofThomasDavis(1814–1845),Burtonundertookthefrontispiece.
10 S.MacManus.The Rocky Road to Dublin. NewYork1938.pp.141–42.11 TheNGIPrintsandDrawingsRoomhousessketchbooksbyMaria
SpilsburyTayloramongitscollections.12 JosephineLizzieCloud(signingherselfasMissorMrs)seemsto
havebeenthenomdeplumeofMrsElizabethC.WatersfromPhiladelphia,anartistandpublisherofillustratedarticles.
13 TheLawrenceCollection:400,000glassplatenegativesdating1870–1914,byWilliamM.LawrenceofSackvilleStreet,Dublin.HisphotographerRobertFrenchtookpicturesofevictions,whichwerepackagedas60glasslanternslidesin1890.
14 TheFirstWorldWar(1914–1918)affectedIrelandinamajorway.15 In1902,EvelynGleesonestablishedacraftstudioatDundrumnear
Dublin,calledDunEmerPress-Industries(c.1902–1908)specialisinginprintingandothercraftsandinvitedElizabethandhersisterLilyYeatstojoinher.In1908theCualaPress-Industrieswassetup(followingasplitfromGleeson)byElizabethYeatstogetherwithLilyYeats,heavilysupportedbytheirbrotherWilliamButlerYeats.
16 TheIrishExhibitionofLivingArtArchivewasdonatedin2001bythefamilyofartistAnneYeats,daughterofW.B.Yeats,toNIVAL,NationalCollegeofArtandDesign.ItdocumentsYeats’stimeassecretaryfortheIELA(1947–1971).
17 MarieBourkeinconversationwiththeartist,July2014.
intermittentlybetween1935and1943andherStranger in Aran wasthelastbookpublishedbytheCualaPress(1946).15HerstaycoincidedwiththeSecondWorldWar(1939–1945),whenIrelandremainedneutral,althoughitimpactedonthecountry.WhiletheworkssheproducedillustrateheraffectionfortheWest,Riverswasconsciousofherstatusasanoutsider.Thesenseofawarenessofbeingdifferentandapart,lookingattheWestfromanotherperspective,wasexperiencedbymanyofthe
artistsinthisbook,includingHenry,LambandGerardDillon(1916–1971),whoillustratedhisdistinctiveimpres-sion in The Little Green Fields(c.1946–1950).TheWestbecameaplacesymbolicoftheessenceor
soulofIreland.Thisconcepthelpedtoshapepopularviews of an idyllic, pastoral andwholesome countrymatchingthepoliticalconstructofthegovernmentinthenewlyindependentstate,evenasnewdevelopmentswereimpactingonruralhouseholdsandlifestyles.TheiconographyofWesternlandscapes–blueskies,white-washedthatchedcottages,greenfields,stonewallsandthesea–becameemblematicofthenewstate’sculturalidentity.This inspiredaviewthatbecamerecognisedas ‘the’ image of rural Ireland, promoted by succes-sivegovernments,athomeandabroad.Theadventofmodernism in art only gained momentum here in the mid-twentiethcentury. In 1943 the IrishExhibitionofLivingArtwassetuptoaddresstheneedforawiderexplorationofcontemporaryIrishartanditinvolvedthemodernpaintersEvieHone(1894–1955),MainieJellett(1897–1944),NorahMcGuinness(1901–1980)andLouisleBrocquy(1916–2012).16ModernismgraduallyovertookthisviewofruralIrelandandmanyoftheWesternlife-
SeánKeating(1889–1977),A Seascape with Figures, 1930s.Oil on board, 46 x 62 cm. Presented, Haverty Trust, 1956. NGI.1330. © Estate of Seán Keating. All rights reserved, IVARO, 2014.
In 1914, Harry Clarke suggested that the Limerick artist visit the Aran Islands, as a result of which the people of Aran and the western seaboard featured in his work for the remainder of his career. The isolation of the islanders is emphasised by the lone figure of the woman who gazes towards Galway. Their lifestyle is seen in the fishing boats, called hookers, moored alongside the pier that were used for fishing and transporting turf to and from the islands.
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ThefollowingseriesofpaintingsillustratehowtheWestbecameasignificantplaceforIrishartistsinthenine-teenthandtwentiethcenturies.Nineteenth-centurypainters, suchas JamesArthur
O’Connor,GeorgePetrie,FredericWilliamBurtonandBartholomewCollesWatkins,wantedtocapturealand-scapeandawayoflifethatwasnewtotheireyesandneeded tobe recorded.Laterpainters, includingNa-thanielHone,AugustusBurke,AloysiusO’Kelly,WalterOsborneandHarryClarke,recognisedthatthislifestylewasrareenoughinaEuropeancontext; itwasdisap-pearingfast,andtheysawitsvisualqualitiesfromtheperspectiveof realistpainters.SadbhTrínseach,PaulHenry, JackB.Yeats,SeánKeatingandCharlesLambsoughttocapturetheessenceofawayoflifethattheyperceivedwasclosertoanauthenticIrishidentity.Ge-rard Dillon and Maurice MacGonigal felt nostalgia for a patternoflifedefinedbytheclimateandtheseasonsthatwasincontrasttotheincreasedindustrialisationoftheperiod.LilianDavidson,KittyWilmerO’BrienandMainie Jellettuseddifferentstylesand techniques toconveyitsspecialness,justasitbecametheauthenticsettingforaportraitofNoelBrownebyRobertBallaghandaparticularplaceforNiallNaessans.
JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841),The Mill, Ballinrobe, c.1818
GeorgePetrie(1790–1866),Pilgrims at Saint Brigid’s Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare,c.1829–30
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),In Joyce Country (Connemara, Co. Galway),c.1840
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child,1841
AugustusBurke(c.1838–1891),A Connemara Girl
BartholomewCollesWatkins(1833–1891),A View of the Killaries, from Leenane
AloysiusO’Kelly(1853–1936),Mass in a Connemara Cabin, c.1883
WalterFrederickOsborne(1859–1903),A Galway Cottage, c.1893
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),The Country Shop,c.1912
PaulHenry(1876–1958),The Potato Diggers,1912
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),Before the Start,1915
CharlesVincentLamb(1893–1964),Loch an Mhuilinn, c.1930s
LilianLucyDavidson(1879–1954),Fashions at the Fair,c.1940s
MainieJellett(1897–1944),Achill Horses,1941
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),Men of Destiny,1946
GerardDillon(1916–1971),The Little Green Fields, c.1946–50
KittyWilmerO’Brien(1910–1982),Near Westport, Co. Mayo
MauriceMacGonigal(1900–1979),Early Morning, Connemara (Mannin Bay),c.1965
RobertBallagh(b.1943),Portrait of Noel Browne (1915–1997), Politician,1985
The West as a Significant Place for Irish Artists
22 23
GeorgePetrie(1790–1866),Pilgrims at Saint Brigid’s Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare, c.1829–30Watercolouronpaper,18.5x26cm.Bequeathed,
MissM.Stokes,1900.NGI.2381.
StBrigid’sWellatLiscannor,Co.ClareisoneofanumberofIrishholywellsassociatedwithStBrigidofKildare,one of Ireland’s patron saints. Thewell is a popularsiteofpilgrimagewithgreatnumberstravellingfromacrossClareandtheAranIslandstoparticipateinthetraditionalLughnasafestivalonthelastSundayofJuly(orfirstSundayinAugust).Petrieshowsthewellfromacrossanarrowstream.AnumberofpilgrimsperformthevariousstagesoftheRitesassociatedwiththewell;somekneelinprayerwhileotherscirclethewell,whichismarkedbyastandingstoneinscribedwithacross.Thewellisdepictedinitsoriginallocationbeforebeingmovedtoamoreconvenientsitein1853,whereitre-mainstoday.Petriewasoneofacircleofscholars,anti-quariansandartistswho,fascinatedbyIrishhistoryandfolklore,touredthecountrystudyinganddocumenting
itssceneryandantiquities.Thisisoneofhismanywater-coloursdepictinglocationsofIrishculturalsignificanceandisatypicalexampleofhisapproachtopainting.Al-thoughromanticandsentimentalinstyle,hisworkwasaccurateinitsrepresentationofthesubjectmatter.
GeorgePetrie(1790–1866)BorninDublin,hewasthesonofJamesPetrie,portrait-istandminiaturepainter.TrainedattheDublinSocietyDrawingSchools,hewasattractedtolandscapepaintingandwentonhisfirstsketchingtourinWicklowin1808.HewasfascinatedwithIrishhistoryandantiquity,whichbecamethepredominantsubjectmatterofhiswaterco-lours.Hepublishedcollectionsofdrawingsandprints,andillustratedguidebookspromotingIreland’sculturalhistory. As a member of the Royal Irish Academy and oneofthefoundersofitsmuseum,hehelpedtoformthehistoriccollectionsthatwouldconstitutethecoreoftheIrishAntiquitiesCollectionsatthenewNationalMuseum(1890).In1828hebecamethefirstwatercolour-isttobecomeaRoyalHibernianAcademicianandlaterPresident of the Academy. DM
JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841), The Mill, Ballinrobe,c.1818Oiloncanvas,42x71cm.Purchased1970.NGI.4011.
TheartistvisitedWestport in 1817. In 1818–19hewascommissionedtopaintfouraspectsoftheBridgeHouse,Ballinrobe,Co.Mayo for theowner,CourtneyKenny.TheyfitintohisearlyWesterntopographicallandscapesthatincludedWestport,togetherwithBallinrobehouse,thepleasuregrounds,itsmill,LoughMaskandthede-mesne.O’Connor’smethodthroughouthislifewastododetaileddrawingsonthespot.ThispaintingshowsBallinrobemillandsurroundingslocatedontheedgeoftheRiverRobe,infrontofwhichisawoodenfoot-bridge.Therightsideofthepictureappearsinshadowwithdarkclouds,treesandfoliage,incontrasttotheleft,whichisbathedinlight,pickingoutO’Connor’strade-marksmallfiguressailingapuntacrosstheriver.FinelypaintedGothicruinsandachurchsteeplearevisibleonthehorizon,withthemilllocatedontheriveredge,form-ingpartofastructureofbuildingswithwhiteroofs.An
atmosphereofcalmpervadesthesceneenhancedbythereflectionoftreesandGothicruinsonthewater,servingtoconveytheimpressionofnatureinharmonywiththeelements.WhileoneofanumberofpaintingsanddrawingsexecutedinCountyMayo,adecadelater,about1828,O’ConnorwouldpaintinConnemaraillus-tratinghisearlyappreciationoftheruggedlandscapeofthe West of Ireland.
JamesArthurO’Connor(1792–1841) Born inDublin,O’Connorwasmainly self-taught.HebecamefriendlywiththeartistsGeorgePetrieandFran-cisDanbyandtheywent together toLondon in1813.O’Connorreturned,remaininginIrelandworkingasalandscapepainterovertenyears.In1822hemovedbacktoLondonexhibitingattheRoyalAcademyandtheSo-cietyofBritishArtists.In1826hetravelledforayeartoBrussels.In1832hewenttoParisandtravelledthrough-outGermanythefollowingyear.O’Connor’sfinelypaint-edlandscapesandtopographicalviewsdevelopedintothenewertasteforRomanticlandscapepainting.
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FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900), The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child,1841Watercolouronpaper,88.4x78.5cm.Bequeathed,Miss
AnnieCallwell,1904.NGI.6048.
Burton’stimeintheWestofIreland(1838–1841)resultedindrawingsandpaintings,includingThe Blind Girl at the Holy Well(1839),andThe Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child (1841).HeexecutedoverfiftystudiesfortheAran Fish-erman togetherwithapreliminarywatercoloursketchshowingthe father inamorenaturalpose.Althoughthere is no record of his visiting the Aran Islands atthistime,hemayhavedonesowithPetrie.Thisfinelypaintedwatercolourdepictsahauntingsceneofsorrow-fulparents,whoaregatheredaroundthefigureoftheirdeadchild.Inthebackgroundthekeenerscanbeseenbeginning thepatternofmourning.As theartistwasanantiquaryservingontheCounciloftheRoyalIrishAcademy,hegavecarefulconsiderationtotheaccuracyofthecostumes,furnitureandsetting,drawingonhisinterestinthecustomsandtraditionsofthewestofIre-land. The cabin is large and tidy in the manner of the CladdaghareaofGalway.Lightinthisdramaticsceneis
focusedonthefigureofthedistraughtfatherandfam-ily.Burton’srefinedsenseofcolourpicksoutdetailslikethewomen’sshawlsandmadder-redpetticoatsrichlypaintedinoverlappinglayersofwatercolour.Thesub-jectisinkeepingwithmid-nineteenth-centuryromanticpaintinginEurope.
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900)WhentheRoyalIrishArtUnion(1839–1847)selectedThe Aran Fisherman tobeengravedbyFrederickBaconinLondonin1843,itbecamethemostpopularprinttheUnioneverpublished,establishingBurton’sreputation.Thework reflected the artist’s study of theWesternpeopleandhisknowledgeoftheOldMasters.ThefirstengravingofBurton’sBlind Girl printedby theRoyalIrishArtUnionwaspresentedtoQueenVictoriain1841,and his Aran Fisherman wasnoted‘bytheadmirationitelicited’attheExhibitionoftheRoyalAcademy,London(UniversityMagazine,1842).In1863,BurtonbecameaFellowoftheRoyalSocietyofAntiquariesinLondonandin1886,anhonorarymemberoftheOldWatercolourSociety.
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),In Joyce Country (Connemara, County Galway),c.1840Watercolouronpaper,25.3x36cm.Bequeathed,
MissAnnieCallwell,1904.NGI.6034.
A cluster of cottages embedded in the Connemara landscape isshownsurroundedby treesat theedgeofLoughCorribwithbluemountainsandacloudyskyinthedistance.JoyceCountryliesbetweenMaumandLeenane,theMaumturkMountainrangetothesouthandLoughCorribat the lowerend.Ayounggirl inaredpetticoatrests,whileleaningherturfcreelagainsta stonewall,beforewindingherwayhome. In 1838,GeorgePetrie,theantiquarianandtopographicalpaint-er,broughtBurtonaroundtheWestofIreland,follow-ingroutestravelledbyotherartists,leavinghimwithanabidingloveoftheWesternlandscape.LargestretchesoftheConnemaracoastweredenselypopulatedatthistimealthoughthemountainskeptitisolatedfromtherestofthecountry.BurtontravelledviaMaamCrosstoAchill,makingdrawings,notesandwatercoloursketchesenroute.Helightlyoutlinesthiswatercolourinpencil,rapidlypaintedwithdilutedwashesofcolour,applyingstrongercolourtodrawoutthefeatures,demonstrating
hisunderstandingoflightandsensitivitytothenuancesofcolour,particularlythesky,whichhepaidparticularattentiontoinhislandscapes.HisConnemarastudiesareconsideredsomeofthefinesteverproducedoftheWesternlandscape.
FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900)Born inCorofin, Co. Clare, although records suggestBurtonmayhavebeenborninWicklow(CensusReturns1871,1891,PublicRecordOffice,London).Hisfatherwasanamateurpainterwhoencouragedhisson.BurtontrainedattheDublinSocietyDrawingSchoolsandwasapprenticedtoSamuelLover(1797–1868)beforebegin-ninghiscareerasaminiatureportraitpainter.GeorgePetrie encouragedhis involvement in theRoyal IrishAcademy.In1839hebecameanRHA.FollowingtravelsinGermany,hesettledinLondonestablishinghimselfasapainterofsubjectpicturesandportraits,hisbestknownworkThe Meeting on the Turret Stairs (1864). In1974hewasappointedDirectoroftheNationalGallery,London(1874–1894),acquiringsignificantworksfortheGallery.
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AugustusNicholasBurke(c.1838–1891), A Connemara GirlOiloncanvas,63x48cm.Presented,MrsI.Monahan,1951.
NGI.1212.
BurkeportraysayoungIrishcolleenwhogathersheath-eronahillsideoverlookingtheseainConnemara.Walk-ingbarefootedacrossuneventerrain,sheclutchesherbundletightlyasshegazes,wide-eyedbutwithalookofcalmdetermination,towardstheviewer.Theevenlybalancedcompositionandcentralplacingofthefiguregivesbothaforcefulnessandserenequalitytothisim-ageofayounggirlonaruggedheadland.BurkefirstvisitedConnemarainthe1860sandwasfamiliarwiththelandscapeanditspeople.Theinclusionofapairofmountain goats alludes to the strong connection be-tweenruralcommunitiesandtheirenvironment.Thegirl’shome-spunclothingandredshawlaretypicalofWest of Ireland costumes, and the everyday subjectmatterlendsasenseofrealismtothepicture.Itis,how-ever,adecidedlysentimentalportrayalandtypicalofagenrethatwaspopularwithurbanaudiencesinthemid-
nineteenthcentury.Thepicturealsodisplaystheartist’skeeninterestinlandscapepainting.TherangeofcoloursemployedandthelightingarecertainlyevocativeofthewesternlandscapeandatmosphereoftheAtlanticcoast.
AugustusNicholasBurke(c.1838–1891)BorninGalway,BurkeattendedschoolinEnglandandstudiedpainting inLondon,whereheremainedforanumberofyears.In1869,hereturnedtoDublindevel-opingareputationasalandscapeandsubjectpainter.HistravelsinBelgiumandtheNetherlandshadsomeinfluenceonhispaintingstyle,althoughhistriptoPont-AveninBrittany(c.1875–1876)wasmoresignificant.HisexperienceinFranceinformedhisapproachtoteachingyoungartistsattheRHAschools,whereheinstructedWalterOsborneandJosephMalachyKavanagh(1856–1918)amongothers.In1883heleftIrelandfollowingtheassassinationinthePhoenixParkofhisbrotherThomasHenry,UndersecretaryforIreland.HesettledinLondonbeforemovingtoItalywhereheremainedfortherestof his life. DM
BartholomewCollesWatkins(1833–1891),A View of the Killaries, from LeenaneOiloncanvas,32x50cm.Bequeathed,F.Moore,1909.
NGI.636.
In1875,WatkinsmadehisfirstsketchingtourofConne-mara.Overthenextfifteenyearshereturnedregularly,documentingtheruggedmountainscenery.HepaintednumerouspicturesoftheConnemaralandscapeinclud-ingthisviewofKillaryharbour,aneight-milelongfjordsurrounded bymountains, which lies on the borderofGalwayandMayo.ViewedfromthesmallvillageofLeenane,Mweelrealoomslargetotheleftwithcloudsclingingtoitspeakasitoverlookstheentrancetothefjord.ItisthehighestmountaininConnacht.FishingwasimportanttothelocalwayoflifeandWatkinsincludesafleetoffishingboatsmovingacrossthecalmwatersofthefjordtowardstheopensea.Intheforeground,menloadnetsontoawoodenboatastheypreparetodeparttocatchherring.Highlyfinishedandminutelydetailed,Watkins’picturesshowtheinfluenceofearlierIrishart-istssuchasJamesArthurO’ConnorandFrancisDanby.
However, unlikehisRomanticpredecessors,Watkinswasmotivatedbyanimpulsetopaintmoresereneandpeaceful representationsof the Irish landscape, typi-callydepictingitintranquilweatherconditions.Hewashighlyskilledatcapturingthesubtleeffectsoflightonthelandscape,exemplifiedinthisworkbythevaryingtonaleffectsandthereflectionofthemountainsonthesurfaceofthewater.Thestillnessandsenseofserenityachievedcountertheimposingpresenceoflandscapeandconveyasenseofharmonybetweenthefishermenand their surroundings.
BartholomewCollesWatkins(1833–1891)BorninDublin,WatkinsenteredtheRoyalDublinSoci-etyDrawingSchoolsin1847.Hedevelopedacareerasalandscapepainter,devotinghimselftothedepictionofmountainscenery.HewasaregularexhibitorattheRoyalHibernianAcademyfrom1860andtookanactivepartinAcademyaffairs.In1891,whileonasketchingtourinanisolatedareaofKerry,hecontractedaseverecoldanddiedbeforehelpcouldreachhim.DM
28 29
WalterFrederickOsborne(1859–1903), A Galway Cottage,c.1893Oilonpanel,30x38cm.Purchased,1903.NGI.554.
Osborne’sdarkcottageinteriorshowsanelderlycouplewarmingthemselvesbyahearth.Thewoman,inherredplaidshawlandblueskirt,facestheviewer,awoodenboxatherfeet,busywithadomesticchore.Meanwhile,hermalecompaniontendstothefire.Thedarknessoftheshadowscontrastswiththebrightnessofdaylightoutside,whichenterstheroomthroughawindow.Sun-lightilluminatesasectionofthefloorprovidingasenseoftheoutsideworldinanotherwiseshadowyinterior.ThepictureisoneofaseriesofpaintingsbyOsbornethatcaptureaspectsof life inConnemara,which theartistvisitedbetween1892and1899.InConnemarahefoundanIrishversionofthesimpleBretonrurallifestylewhosevisualqualitieshadattractedhimwhenworkinginBrittany.Hisrealisticportrayalof this Irish interiorsceneconveysasenseofhiscuriosityandinterestinthelocalpeopleandtheirlifestyle.Theabsenceofchildren
inthisscenemaybetheresultofemigration.HisuseofbroadbrushstrokesandnaturalcoloursreflectshisexperienceofFrenchrealistpaintingandfamiliaritywithmodernEuropeanaesthetics.
WalterFrederickOsborne(1859–1903)BorninDublin,thesonoftheanimalpainterWilliamOsborne,WalterattendedtheRoyalHibernianAcade-myschoolsin1872.Hewonnumerousprizes,includingtheRoyalDublinSocietyTaylorScholarshipin1881and1882,enablinghimtostudyattheAcadémieRoyaledesBeaux-Arts,Antwerp.In1883hepaintedinBrittany.In1884hemovedtoEngland,spendingnineyearspaintingruralandcoastalscenes.HereturnedtoIrelandin1893,followingthedeathofhissister.AregularexhibitorattheRHA,hebecameamemberoftheRHAin1886,andtaughtattheAcademyschools.Fromtheearly1890s,hissuccessasaportraitistgrew,thoughhecontinuedtopainturbanandrurallifescenes.HetravelledtoFrance,SpainandHolland.Hediedprematurelyin1903.DM
AloysiusO’Kelly(1853–1936), Mass in a Connemara Cabin,c.1883Oiloncanvas,framed,171x217x13cm.Onloanfromthe
peopleofStPatrick’s,EdinburghandtheTrusteesofthe
ArchdioceseofStAndrew’sandEdinburgh.NGI-L.14780.
The imageofapriestsayingmass foragatheringofpeopleinacottagedepictsanIrishcustomknownasTheStations,whichwasawayforCatholicstopractisetheirreligionattimesofoppression,whentheywereforcedtomeetinsecrecy.ThelawspreventingCatholicwor-shipwererepealedinthelateeighteenthcentury,yet,The Stations continued as a common religious and social practice.O’Kellymayportrayanewpriest,groomedtoassume his role in the Catholic Church, returning home to say an Ordination Mass for his family and neigh-bours,hisChesterfieldcoatandsilktophatonasúganchair.ItisoneofaseriesofpicturesbyO’KellydepictingtheeverydaylifeofruralcommunitiesinConnemara.Ratherthanconveyingtheharshrealitiesofexistence,ahealthydignifiedcommunityisshown,dressedintheirfinestclothes,stronglyconnectedtotheirtraditions.Acolourfuldramaticscene,thegirlsareshowninwhite
as thewomenwearplaidshawlswith redpetticoats,eachfiguredepictedindividually.Carewastakenpre-paringthehouseforthepriestandthisroomistidyandwell-furnished.Thefurnitureisrepresentedaccuratelyrevealingtheartist’skeeninterestindomesticlife,asinthecaseofthereddresserwithropemoulding.Someobjects,includingthestraineranddashchurnformak-ingbutter,reflecttheworkinglifeofthepeople.
AloysiusO’Kelly(1853–1936)BorninDublin,O’KellyattendedtheÉcoledesBeaux-ArtsinParisin1874.HeexhibitedattheRoyalAcademy,Londonbetween1874and1895,andtheRoyalHiber-nianAcademyfrom1878.In1876hevisitedPont-Aven,becominginfluencedbytheplein-airstyleofJulesBas-tien-Lepage(1848–1884),visitingagaininthe1870sand1880s.OnhisreturnhepaintedruralscenesintheWestofIreland.HisillustrationsfortheLondon Illustrated News depictedtheplightof thosestrugglingwithevictions,LandLeagueagitationandsocialinjustices.In1895,heemigrated to the United States becoming an American citizenin1901.In1926,hevisitedIreland,beforereturn-ingtoAmericawherehedied.DM
30 31
PaulHenry(1876–1958),The Potato Diggers,1912Oiloncanvas,51x46cm.Purchased,1968.NGI.1870.©Estate
ofPaulHenry.Allrightsreserved,IVARO,2014.
AchillisanislandoffCountyMayo,surroundedbytheAtlanticOceanandseparatedfromthemainlandbyanarrowsound.Livingamongtheislandersandobservingtheirwayoflifeenabledtheartisttocreateanewpicto-riallanguage.FiguresdominatehisearlyAchillpictures,including The Potato Diggers,inwhichJean-FrançoisMil-let’s(1814–1875)influenceisseeninthewomanbendingtogathernewlydugpotatoes.Thecompositionisdividedbetweentheforegroundbrownearthandbackgroundbluemountain,withacloudyskydominatingthepictureandcreatingatmosphere.Thepalettelimitedtostrongblues,redsandbrowns,isenrichedbytheredpetticoatspaintedbyHenryincarefullyappliedbrushstrokes.Theartistdepictsthelandscapeandthepeoplewithadegreeofrealismthatisdevoidofanykindofromanticism.Inbalancingthefigureswiththelandscape,Henryconveystheuniversalrelationshipofordinarypeopleworkinginacontestwithnaturethatisneverending.Hisportrayal
ofConnemarabecamesynonymouswiththeWestofIrelandandhisreputationwashugelyenhancedwhenoneofhisWesternlandscapeswasacquiredin1922,bytheMuséeduLuxembourginParis.
PaulHenry(1876–1958)BorninBelfast,HenryattendedtheBelfastSchoolofArt.In1989,hewenttoParistotrainattheAcadémieJulianandatWhistler’sAcadémieCarmen.FollowingadecadeinLondon(1900–1910),whereheworkedasanillustrator,andmarriedfellowartistGraceMitchell(1868–1933),thecoupletravelledtoCountyMayowheretheypaintedonAchillandinConnemarabetween1910and1919.HenrywascaptivatedbyAchillandthelifehefoundthere;how-ever,Gracefoundlifedifficultanditcontributedtothebreak-upoftheirmarriage.OneofthefoundersoftheSocietyofDublinPainters,heexhibitedattheRoyalHi-bernianAcademybetween1910and1958andseveralofhispictureswerereproducedastravelposters.HelatermovedtoDublin,thenWicklow,andafterthedeathofGrace,hemarriedtheartistMabelYoungandwrotetwoautobiographicalbooks.
JackBYeats(1871–1957), The Country Shop, c.1912Pen,inkandwatercolouroncard,26.6x19.5cm.Presented,
theExecutorsofW.A.Carbury,1966.NGI.3829.©Estateof
JackB.Yeats.Allrightsreserved,DACS,2014.
Theartistenjoyedillustratingthisshop,whichhesawasasmallsocialcentresimilartoapostoffice,placingthedrawingthefirstinhisbookLife in the West of Ireland (1912).Itisafascinatingfocusofactivitywitheverythingstockedonshelves,indrawersandhangingfromraftersformingavitalcentreinprovidingpeoplewiththeessen-tials,fromhob-nailedboots,ropesandlanterns,towall-paper,fabricandfood.Theowner,basedonthefigureofaMrsJordanfromBelmullet,NorthMayo,isatoughlookingproprietor,whoYeatsandSyngehadencoun-teredontheirCongestedDistrictstourin1905.Shecon-trols the situation from a tall stool behind the counter. A countrywomanisintheprocessofnegotiatingwithher,earnestlylookingatherface,assheisprobablyilliterate,tryingtounderstandwhatisbeingdiscussedaboutheraccount.Theharppositionedbehindtheowner’shead
alludestoaformofIrishnationalismthatdoesnotshowmercytoafellowcitizen.Toreinforcethispointaboutthetwistednatureofhumancharacter,Yeatspositionsamanleaningagainstthecounter,withhisbacktothefigures, listeningtowhat isbeingdiscussed,hismindontheworldbeyond.Thisisalludedtoonthemirrorhangingintheroofwhichdepictsthestreetoutside.Theman’scostumeofwoollenjacket,trousersandganseyistoppedwithawidebrimmedhatatajauntyangleasheassumestheroleofsomeoneremovedfromthesordidbusinessoftheshop.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957)JackreturnedfromSligotolivewithhisfamilyinLondonin1887andbeganattendingArtCollege.Workingasanillustratorininkandwatercolourtaughthimtoconveyastorysuccessfully,andwhenheprogressedtooilshisstylegraduallyexpandedintoamoreexpressiveaes-thetic.Asacommercialartistheprovidedillustrationsforfortydifferentjournals,includingtheIllustrated Lon-don News. Heillustratedmanybooksandbroadsheets,includingseveralforhisfamily.
32 33
CharlesVincentLamb(1893–1964), Loch an Mhuilinn,1930sOilonboard,51x41cm.Presented,LallíLamb
deBuitléar,theartist’sdaughter,1999.NGI.4670.
©TheArtist’sEstate.
LochanMhuilinnillustratesamilllakelocatedbetweenCoranaMónaandSrutháninCarraroe,asmallpenin-sulaofftheConnemaracoast,wheretheartistandhisfamilyspenttheirlives.Thesceneistakenfromtheart-ist’sboat,whereheoftenfishedwhileobservingthelo-calpeople,includingthecustomofwashingclothesinthelake.HavingcomefromaNorthernindustrialtown,Lambwas captivated by the ever-changingWesternskies,and influencedby JohnConstable’s (1776–1837)studiesofskyandcloudformations.Thecompositionisdividedbetweenthelakeintheforeground,adeepbluehill,andaheavyovercastskyinthebackground.Thecot-tageisprominentlyplacedwithabrownturfstacklean-ingagainstastonewallinfrontofwhichisplacedtwoboats.Thefigureofawomanwashingcreatesafocusofactivity.Thepaletteislimitedtofairlyneutraltonesenlivenedbyyellow,whiteanddeepblue,andenrichedbythewoman’sredpetticoat.Thepictureispaintedina
varietyoftechniques,includingcarefullyappliedbrush-strokesandflatareasofcolour,atatimewhenLambwasexperimentingwithamorestylisedapproachtohiswork.WhilethesceneistypicalofapicturesqueviewofConnemara, inrealitytheartist’ssympathieslayindepictingtheharshlifestyleandlandscapeoftheWestof Ireland.
CharlesLamb(1893–1964)Born in Portadown, Lamb studied at Belfast SchoolofArt(1913–1917),winningascholarshiptotheDublinMetropolitanSchoolofArt(1917–1921).HesettledintheIrish-speakingdistrictofCarraroeinConnemara,wheretheideaforhisearlymajorworkoriginated,Dancing at a Northern Crossroads (1920).HevisitedBrittanyin1926to1927andGermanyin1938until1939.From1936inCarraroe,hehostedanannualexhibitionandsummerpaintingschoolforyoungartists.Knownforhisgenrescenes, landscapes and seascapespaintedmainly inConnemaraandNorthernIreland,heundertookcom-missionsforUniversityCollegeGalway,didbookillus-trations,andexhibitedattheRoyalHibernianAcademy,RoyalUlsterAcademy,andoverseas.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957), Before the Start,1915Oiloncanvas,46x61cm.Bequeathed,MrsJ.Egan,through
theFriendsoftheNationalCollectionsofIreland,1960.
NGI.1549.©EstateofJackB.Yeats.
Allrightsreserved,DACS,2014.
Yeatshadagreatpassionforhorses,andIrishracingwasanimportantsourceofsubjectmatterforhim.Inthissmalloilpaintingof jockeyson theirmounts,hefocuseshisattentiononaspecificmoment,recordingthe acute tension and high emotion attending the start ofarace.Thethreejockeysexudedifferentbehaviour;thefigureingreenisconcentratedonthetaskahead,hiscompetitor inblue, lipspressedtogether,directlyreturnsthegazeoftheviewer,whilethejockeyinthecentreisnervousbycomparison.Thesenseoftensionisfurtheremphasisedbythetightlypackedcrowdgather-ingaroundthehorses,thejockeyssilhouettedagainstalargepalesky,andtheisolationofaflagflappinginthewind.Byelevatingthejockeysandplacingthemagainstan empty sky, Yeats affords them a heroic position
amongthepeople.Theimpressionthattheviewerisatthelevelofthespectatorsisexemplifiedbythewayinwhichasinglefigurelooksdirectlyout.Theareasofthickimpastoandbroadbrushworkinthepaintingshowtheartist’sconfidenceinusingoils.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957)BorninLondon,thesonoftheartistJohnButlerYeats(1839–1922)andbrotherofthepoetWilliamButlerYeats(1865–1939), Jackwas sent to Sligo and raisedbyhisgrandparents.In1887,hereturnedtoLondontotrainasanartistandbeganworkingasanillustratorforthepopularpress.Inthe1890s,hebegantoestablishhisreputationandheldhisfirstexhibitionofwatercoloursin1897.FollowingregulartripstoIreland,hisfirstLife in the West of Irelandexhibitionwasheldin1899.In1910,hesettledinIrelandhavingstartedworkinginoils.Histechniqueandstyleevolvedfromitsearlygraphicori-ginstoamoreexpressionistaestheticemployingheavyimpastoandabolduseofcolour.Hisoutputincludeddrawings,paintings,illustrationsandcartoons,severalplaysandnovels.DM
34 35
MainieJellett(1897–1944), Achill Horses,1941Oiloncanvas,61x92cm.Bequeathed,
MissR.Kirkpatrick,1978.NGI.4320.©HeirsandSuccessorsof
Mainie Jellett.
TheWesternlandscapeandlifestyleprovidedthesubjectmatterforaseriesofworksbyJellett,followingavisittoAchillIslandin1936.ShewasstruckbythecolouringandatmosphereoftheWest.ThiscameayearafterviewingaChineseArtexhibitionattheRoyalAcademy.Shebeganexperimentingwith interlockingcircles, influencedbyChineseart,usingserpentineshapesinwavestoportraythelandscape.In1937shewascommissionedtopainttwomuralsonIrishrural,industrialandculturallifefor the Irish Pavilion at the British Empire Exhibition inGlasgow(1938).ThegovernmentusedthesemuralsfortheIrishPavilionattheNewYorkWorld’sFair(1939).Achill Horsesisoneofherlatestudies,inwhichthepaintisap-pliedinafluidmannerwithsoftshadinginthecolouringof thehorses,as theyappear togallopthroughthesea with the serpentine waves providing the underlying
structure.Itillustratesanewphaseofexpressivenessemployingmorecolourandnatural forms thatgivesanorganicfeelingtoJellett’spaintings.ThefactthatJel-lett’sworkrepresentedIrelandataninternationalforumshowedadegreeofacceptanceofthemodernmove-mentinIreland.Astastechanged,theWesternpaint-ingsthatwereusedtoillustrateanewruralnationwereovertakenbyModernism.
MainieJellett(1897–1944)BorninDublin,JelletttrainedunderWilliamOrpen,andWalterSickertattheWestminsterSchoolofArtinLon-don.In1921,sheandEvieHone(1894–1955)studiedinPariswithAndréLhote(1885–1962),andAlbertGleizes(1881–1953),whointroducedhertocubistabstraction.In1923,Jellett’spaintings(e.g.Decoration, NGI.1326)werecondemnedataSocietyofDublinPaintersexhibitionandshewasnotfavourablyrevieweduntil1928.Ady-namicfigurewhodevotedherlifetopromotingart,shewaselectedthefirstpresidentoftheIrishExhibitionofLivingArt(1943),andbecamethecentralfigureofthemodernmovementinIreland.
LilianLucyDavidson(1879–1954), Fashions at the Fair,c.1940sOiloncanvas,71x92cm.Purchased,2003.NGI.4719.
Throughouthercareer,Davidsonreturnedtothesubjectoffairsandmarketscenes.Theircolourfulappearanceandlivelyatmosphereweresuitedtoherstyleandtech-nique,characterisedbyabolduseofcolour,senseofdesign,andfluidapplicationofpaint.MarketsandfairswerecommonacrossIrelandandimportantforcom-mercialtransactionandsocialexchange.Davidsontrav-elledthroughoutthecountryandthisworkmaybesetinWestport,Co.Mayo,illustratingabusyscenewithlocalpeopledrawntothestallsbythegoodsandproduceonoffer.TheinfluenceoftheearlyworkofJackB.Yeatsisevidentinheruseofbroadbrushwork,thicklyappliedpaintandflatareasofcolour.Davidson’sfamilywasnotascomfortableas thoseofotherwomenartists,andthismayhavecausedhertobeparticularlysympathetictothehard-workingcountrypeople.Thebusymarketscene formsa tapestryof textureandcolour reflect-inghernaturalimpulseforpatternmakingandstrong
contrastsofcolourandtone.Thebrilliantcanopiesandwhite-washedcottagescontrastwiththedarkshadowystallsandblackandbrowncalvesseatedontheground,illustratingdramatictonaleffectsthatenhancetheat-mosphereofthescene.Theelevatedviewpointreducesthesenseofspaceandflattensthecomposition,allow-ingthemarkettofillthepictureanddrawtheviewerin.
LilianLucyDavidson(1879–1954)Born inWicklow,Davidsonattended theDublinMet-ropolitanSchoolofArt(1895–1905).In1920sheheldajointexhibitionwithMainieJellett.DavidsonspenttimeinParis,exhibitingattheSalondelaSocietéandSalondesBeauxArts.Arespectedteacher,sheprovideddraw-ingclassesatherstudioandtaughtatvariousDublinSchools.ApopularfigureintheDublinartworld,shewasamemberoftheSocietyofDublinPaintersandex-hibitedregularlyattheRHAandotherDublingalleries.Anoccasionalportraitist,shepaintedsomeofhercon-temporaries,includingJackB.YeatsandSarahPurser(1848–1943).DM
36 37
GerardDillon(1916–1971),The Little Green Fields,c.1946–50Oiloncanvas40.5x89cm.MáireMacNeillSweeneyBequest
1987.NGI.4520.©TheArtist’sEstate.
In 1939, following theoutbreakof the SecondWorldWar,DillondiscoveredtheWestofIreland.Itsremote-nessfromLondonbecameimportanttohim.Herentedcottages,stayingonInishlackan,asmallislandinRound-stoneBayinascenicpartofConnemara,wherehepaint-ed The Little Green Fieldsbetween1946and1950. Conne-marapresentedacontrasttourbanlifeand,likemanyartistsbeforehim,hewasattractedbyitsuniqueruggedlandscape,thepeopleandtheirsimplelifestyle.Hepor-trayedtheWestashesawitwithsmallfarmsandwhitethatchedcottagesboundbydrystonewalls.Inishlackanwasoneofthelastareasinthecountrytogainelectricpower. Inthiswork,Dillon illustratestherelationshipbetweenthepastandthepresentineachofthefields.Thepastisalludedtobyancientruins,megalithictombs,highcrossesandagraveyardwithawhitemonasticfig-
urecarvedinstone.Thelinktothepresentisseeninthesowingofpotatoes,pigsinfrontofcottages,hensbeingfed,cowsandhorsesgrazing,and,intheforeground,afarmerlightinghispipeinfrontofastonefigure.Thesceneisconveyedinadirectunsophisticatedmanner,appropriatetothesubjectmatterandsuitedtoDillon’sstyle,largelytheresultofbeingaself-taughtartist.
GerardDillon(1916–1971)BorninBelfast,Dillonbecameapprenticedasapainteranddecorator.FollowingstudiesatBelfastSchoolofArt,hemovedtoLondonin1934.From1939,hetravelledregularlytotheWestofIreland,makingextendedtripstoDublinandBelfast.HejoinedtheWhiteStagGroup,exhibitingattheRoyalHibernianAcademyandtheIrishExhibitionofLivingArt.HereturnedtoteachinWestLon-donbetween1945and1968,visitingItalyin1947,Spaininthe1950s,andtouringDenmarkandtheUnitedStates.In1968hesettledinDublinand,followinghisdeath,wasburiedinBelfast.Hisversatilityextendedtoetchings,stagesetsanddesignsformuralsandtapestries.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957), Men of Destiny,1946Oiloncanvas,51x69cm.Presented,JackB.YeatsLoan
Committee,1946.NGI.1134.©EstateofJackB.Yeats.Allrights
reserved,DACS,2014.
Men of Destinywaspaintedthirtyyearsafterthe1916Ris-ing,ayearaftertheSecondWorldWar,andtwoyearsbefore theestablishmentof the IrishRepublic.YeatsdrawsonhismemoryofSligofishermendisembarkingfromtheirboatwithitsmastandoars,surroundedbytheseaatRossesPoint.HewouldhavebeenfamiliarwiththedarkblueofDrumcliffBaytotheleftandConeyIslandontheright,bathedinablazeofgoldreflectingtheraysofthesettingsun.Asthetitlesuggests,Yeatsusesthisimagefromhisyouthtodrawattentiontothemanyyoungmenwholefttheirhomestoleadthefightforfreedom.Thefiguresarepaintedinthickexpressivebrushstrokes of royal blue, vibrant orange and goldwith thecoloursechoedontheroughheadland.Therichbluesandgreensoftheskyandseamergeasthe
eyeiscaughtbythebrilliantyellowandwhitelightonthehorizon.Theartistconsideredtheseyoungmenasbothheroesandbravewarriors.ItmayhavecausedhimtoreflectonthefactthatthefutureofIrelandandofEuroperestedontheshouldersofsuch‘menofdestiny’.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957)BorninLondon,theyoungestchildofJohnButlerYeatsandSusanMaryPollexfen,Jackwasraisedbygrandpar-entsinSligobetween1879and1887.FollowingtraininginLondonatSouthKensingtonSchoolofArt,ChiswickSchool of Art and Westminster School of Art, he started workingasanillustrator.In1894,hemarriedtheartistMaryCottenhamWhiteandtheymovedtoSurrey,andDevonin1897,whenheconcentratedonwatercolourpainting.In1910hemovedtoIreland,wherehebeganpaintingconsistentlyinoils,hispreferredmedium.HelivedinGreystones,thenDonnybrook,beforesettlinginFitzwilliamSquare.Hiswifediedin1947,andin1955hemovedtoanursinghomeinPortobello,wherehepassedawayin1957.
38 39
MauriceMacGonigal(1900–1979),Early Morning, Connemara (Mannin Bay),c.1965Oilonboard,55x75.5cm.Presented,JamesNolan,
inmemoryoftheartist,1983.NGI.4461.©NationalGalleryof
Ireland.
Early Morning, Connemara isalaterworkbytheartist,whomaintainedthatdespitelivinginDublin,theWestofIrelandprovidedanenduringinspirationforhiswork.WhileMacGonigal’searlyfigurativepaintingsfollowedanacademicpattern,similartoSeánKeating,hislaterstyleshowedtheinfluenceofmoremoderntechniques.InthislateWesternlandscape,heemploysafluidstyle,experimentingwithdifferentbrushstrokesandalightpalette,toevoketheatmosphereofafreshbreezyday.Heworkedoutdoorswhenpaintinglandscapes,mak-ingdrawingsandwatercoloursforuseasareferenceinthestudio.Thisscenedepictsanunspoiltpanoramaof Connemara; white cottages are scattered on theseashorewithitsinletsandManninBaywithitsjuttingheadlandisinthedistance.Amancrossesastonyfieldwithsheep,hisdogathisheels.Thesmoothlyexecutedearlymorningskywithpinkcloudsonthehorizonsets
themood in thispaintingof awarm freshday, aug-mentedbythewhiteboatsonavividbluesea.Therap-idlypaintedoverlappinggreenandyellowbrushstrokescreatetheeffectofaspontaneouslypaintedscene.TheartistisburiedinRoundstone,Co.Galway.
MauriceMacGonigal(1900–1979)BorninDublin,thesonofaSligo-bornpainter-decora-tor,hewasapprenticedinthestained-glassstudioofhisuncle, JoshuaClarke.His involvement in theWarof Independence resulted in internment and releasein1922.Theseyearshelpedtoformhisartisticvision.HeresumedtrainingwithhiscousinHarryClarke,withwhomheproduced stained-glassdesigns.Hewonascholarship to theDublinMetropolitanSchoolofArt(1934–1936),wasawardedtheRDSTaylorprizeandsil-vermedal for landscapepainting.AregularexhibitorattheRoyalHibernianAcademy,hebecameitsPresi-dent(1937–1969)andProfessorofPainting.AlthoughhetaughtattheNationalCollegeofArtandDesign(1937–1969),holidayswerespentinhisbelovedConnemara.Hisoutput includedstagedesigns,postersandbookillustrations.
KittyWilmerO’Brien(1910–1982), Near Westport, Co. MayoOilonboard,50.8x70.8cm.Presented,DrBrendanO’Brien,
inmemoryofhiswife,theartist,1983.NGI.4469.
©TheArtist’sEstate.
Thetwostrikinglandscapesinthisbookdisplaytheart-ist’saffectionforCountyMayo,includingClew Bay from Murrisk (onthecover),paintedinthe1950s,andNear Westport,possiblyalsofromthisperiod.Fromthe1930s,the artist holidayed regularly in the West of Ireland, recording in oils,watercolour and gouache the locallandscapeandseascape.WhilethebulkofherWesternwork,comprisingthirty-sixpaintingsofCountyMayo,wasexhibitedattheRoyalHibernianAcademybetween1946and1979, from1950sheshowedfurtherscenesof Co. Mayo at the Watercolour Society of Ireland. The coverimagedepictstheareaaroundMurriskbetweenCroaghPatrickandtheshoresofClewBay,whereonthelastSundayinJulypilgrimsclimbedthereekofCroaghPatrick.O’BrienalsopaintednumerousviewsaroundWestport,suchasthisone,drawingonherpreferenceforbrightcolours,boldoutlinesandstrongbrushwork,
influencedbytheworkofVincentvanGogh(1853–1890)thatshesawinGermanyin1936.Thislandscapeisde-finedby the foregroundstonewall andnarrow roadwindingitswaythroughthewindsweptfields,asitdisap-pearsintostronglyoutlinedmountainsthataretoppedbyacloudyskyhintingofrain.Bothpaintingsoffreshcolourfulsceneswithcloudyskiesareexecutedintheartist’sdecisivefluidstyle.
KittyWilmerO’Brien(1910–1982)AlthoughborninIndia,O’Briengrewupinhermother’scityofDublin.SheattendedtheRoyalHibernianAcad-emyschools,whereshewasencouragedbyDermodO’Brien (1865–1945), and theMetropolitan School ofArt,where she befriendedMauriceMacGonigal. SheobtainedascholarshiptotheSladeSchoolofArtinLon-don.In1936shemarriedDrBrendanO’Brien,thesonofherformertutor.In1951shewenttoParistostudywithAndréLhote.HeractivecareerincludedherelectionaspresidentoftheWatercolourSociety(1962–1981),andcouncilmemberofFriendsoftheNationalCollectionsofIreland.ShebecameanRHAin1976.
40 41
RobertBallagh(b.1943),Portrait of Noel Browne (1915–1997), Politician,1985Oiloncanvas,183x137cm.Purchased,1991.NGI.4573.©
RobertBallagh.
DrNoelBrowne isportrayedathishome inBailenahAbhann,whereheretiredafteracareerinpolitics.Asachild,hehadtuberculosis,adiseasetowhichhelosthisparents.HestudiedmedicineatTrinityCollegeDublinandduringhisearlycareerasadoctor,witnessedtheeffectsofTB.Heenteredpolitics,wasappointedMinisterforHealthin1948andfoughttoeradicatethedisease.HisprogressivepoliciesandliberalattitudebroughthimintoconflictwiththeCatholicChurch,whichoperatedmosthospitals.TheChurchopposedtheintroductionofhisMotherandChildScheme,intendedtoprovidefreestate-fundedhealthcare,forcinghimtoresignin1951.The cruciform shape of the portrait evokes both
Browne’sdifficultrelationshipwiththeChurchandhisownpersonalsacrifice.PortrayedwearinganAranjump-erandsetinBailenahAbhann,westofGalway,betweenInverinandCostelloe,theimageconveyshispassionforIrishhistoryandculture.Hiserectposeanddeterminedyetreflectiveexpression,illustratestheindividualityandstrengthofcharacterforwhichhewasknown.ThisisfurthersuggestedbytheinclusionofbooksbyKarlMarxandSamuelBeckett.Thecomposition’scleanlinesandmeticulousattentiontodetailaretypicalofBallagh’sma-turestyle,demonstratingtheinfluenceofphotographyinhispractice.Atthebase,stonesappeartospilloutofthepictureformingasmallpileofrealstones,creat-ingvisualconnectionsbetweentheimageandreality.Signedatthefootofthepaintingis‘DocthúirNollaigdeBrún/RoibárdBallagh’.
RobertBallagh(b.1943)BorninDublin,BallaghstudiedarchitectureattheDublinInstituteofTechnology.In1967hemettheartistMichaelFarrell (1940–2000)whohiredhimasanassistant.Hesoondevelopedhisownstyleandtechnique,influencedbyphotographyanddesign.HecontributedtotheIrishExhibitionofLivingArtandROSC.Hisearlyworksrefer-encedtheOldMasters,Goya,DavidandDelacroix.Byin-troducingelementsofsocialandpoliticalwit,hemergedsocialrealismwiththecleanlinesandglossyfinishoftheadvertisingworld.Hehasportrayedmanysignificantfigures,designedstagesetsforRiverdance,IrishpostagestampsandthelastseriesofIrishbanknotes.DM
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collectionofwatercolours(1993)isnowonpermanentdisplayattheUniversityofLimerick.
DublinSketchingClubFounded in 1874, thesketchingclubhasheldannualexhibitionsinDublinsince1876.In2000,itchangeditsnametotheDublinPaintingandSketchingClub.
RoyalUlsterAcademyFoundedin1879astheBelfastRamblersSketchingClub,itbecametheUlsterAcademyofArtsin1930andtheRoyalUlsterAcademyofArtsin1950.Astheoldestex-hibitingsocietyinNorthernIreland,itprovidesanim-portantforumforpainters,sculptorsandarchitectstoexhibitannually.
OireachtasFestivalandArtExhibitionFoundedtohelp integrateartwiththeIrish languagemovement,thefirstfestivalwasheldin1897.Exhibitionstookplaceatintervalsin1905,1906,1907,1911and1920until itbecameanannualeventin1941.Since1943, ithasbecomeanimportantopensubmissionexhibitionselected by a committee of artists.
SocietyofDublinPaintersItwasfoundedin1920by PaulHenry,hiswifeGrace,JackB.Yeats,MarySwanzyandotherartists,joinedshortlyafterbyHarryClarke,MainieJellettandCharlesLamb. ItrepresentedtheprogressivefaceofIrishart.Thehey-dayoftheSocietywasthe1920stothe1940s;itdeclinedinthe1950sandceasedtofunctionin1969.
UlsterSocietyofPaintersIn1920,theSocietywasfoundedbyagroupofNorth-ernartiststostimulatepaintinginNorthernIreland.Itwasofficiallyformedin1934.AnumberoftheartistsmodelleditontheLondon-basedgroupUnitOne,andthisevolvedintotheshort-livedUlsterUnit(1933–1934),whichwasdisbanded.
IrishExhibitionofLivingArt(IELA)In1943,theIrishExhibitionofLivingArtwassetupby
agroupofartists,ledbyLouisleBrocquy,MainieJellettandNorahMcGuinness,inresponsetotheneedforaforumtoexhibitmodernartandtoexplorecontempo-raryIrishart.Itdeclinedovertimeastheirexhibitionslosttheirvitality.Thegroupdisbandedintheearly1990s.
OtherSchoolsofArtOthernineteenth-centurySchoolsofDesign includedLimerick,Clonmel,WaterfordandDerry,notallofwhomsurvived.Inthetwentiethcentury,LimerickSchoolofOr-namentalArt(1852)developedintothemuchexpandedLimerickCollegeofArtandDesign.WaterfordSchoolofPracticalArtandDesign(1852)withtimebecamepartoftheWaterfordInstituteofTechnology.DúnLaoghaireCollegeofArtandDesignmovedtoanewcampusinthe1980s,andgraduallydevelopedintotheDúnLaoghaireInstituteofArt,Design&Technologyin1997.Itisoneofthirteen Institutes of Technology.
The academies, societies, art schools and institutes listedabove(notincludingarthistoryatthirdlevelcol-leges)formpartoftheframeworkofarteducationinIreland.
TheTrainingofIrishArtistsandExhibitionsThelaternineteenthcenturysawthepatterninthetrain-ing of Irish artists change from initial studies at Irish art institutions(listedbelow),someartistsattendingEnglishartschools(YeatsandClarke),toagradualshifttotravel-ling and training on the Continent. Followinghis Irish training,NathanielHone looked
directlytoFrance,asotherstravelledtoAntwerp(Os-borne), to Paris (Henry and Jellett), and an increas-ingnumberwent topaint inNormandyandBrittany (Osborne,O’Kelly,LambandJellett).Theseartistssoughtoutnew subjectmatter andawider artistic environ-mentinwhichtolearnaboutpaintingintheopenair(en plein air)directlyfromnature.TheywereinspiredbythewildpicturesquesceneryinBrittanyandthesimpleunspoiledBretonwayoflife.Manyoftheartistsinthisbooktravelledelsewheree.g.BurtonpaintedinEnglandandGermanyasdidHoneandLamb;Honewentfur-thertoHolland,Italy,GreeceandEgypt,likewiseAloy-siusO’Kelly,whopaintedinFrance,England,Italy,NorthAfrica,Egyptand theUnitedStates;OsborneworkedinEnglandtravellingalsotoSpainandHolland;Clarkepainted in France, travelling also to Scotland, Spain,SwitzerlandandTangiers,whileJellett,whopaintedinEnglandandFrance,travelledalsotoLithuania,Belgium,ScotlandandHolland–tonamebutafew.Atdifferenttimes in their careers, many of these artists turned to the WestofIrelandseekingnewsubjectmatterandproduc-ingscenesinwhichlightandatmosphereseemedfreshfrom nature.
TheDublinSocietyDrawingSchoolsandtheNationalCollegeofArtandDesignIn1746,theDublinSociety(1731)setupadrawingschoolthatemergedoutoftheprivateacademyofFrancisWest(1743).By1750,theDublinSocietyDrawingSchoolswerestartingtodevelopfourschoolsinone(figuredrawing,landscape&ornament,architecturaldrawing&design,modelling&sculpture).TheRoyalDublinSocietyalsopro-videdanexhibitionspaceintheearlynineteenthcentury.In1849,itbecameaSchoolofDesign(whenwomenwereadmitted),transferringin1854totheDepartmentofSci-
enceandArt.In1877itbecametheDublinMetropolitanSchoolofArtwiththecurriculumcontrolleduntil1899bytheDepartmentofScienceandArtinSouthKensington.RenamedtheNationalCollegeofArtin1939,itbecametheNationalCollegeofArtandDesign(NCAD)in1971.
RoyalHibernianAcademyandGalleryIncorporatedbycharter in 1823, theRoyalHibernianAcademyaimedat fostering appreciationof thefinearts,holdingannualexhibitions(from1826),andprovid-inginstructionforartists.TheRHAlostitspremisesinLowerAbbeyStreetintheEasterRisingof1916.Intheinterim,theRHAschoolstookplaceat6StStephen’sGreen(1916–1939)and15ElyPlace(1939–1942),withan-nualexhibitionsheldatNCAD(1917–1969)andtheNa-tionalGalleryofIreland(1971–1984).Withtheacquisitionof15ElyPlace(1939),andsupportedbyMatthewGal-lagherin1970,theRHAreopenedin1984,andprovidesprogrammesofannualexhibitions,eventsandstudio-schools.
CrawfordCollegeofArtandDesignDevelopingoutofaseriesoffineartsocietiesandasso-ciations,itemergedasaSchoolofDesignin1850,whichwasextendedthroughthesupportofW.H.Crawford,andrenamedtheCrawfordMunicipalSchoolofArtin1885. Ithashada long-timeassociationwith theCrawford MunicipalArtGallery (1885). TheSchool relocated toSharmanCrawfordStreetin1980,becomingtheCraw-fordCollegeofArtandDesignin1985.
BelfastSchoolofArtIn1850,aSchoolofDesignopenedinBelfast,whichaftera time reconstituted as a college, becoming the Ulster CollegeofArtandDesigninthe1960s.Since1982,ithasbecomeaFacultyofArtandDesigninYorkStreetaspartoftheUniversityofUlster.
WaterColourSocietyofIrelandFounded in 1870 (firstexhibition 1871), it changed itsnametotheWaterColourSocietyofIrelandin1888.IthasheldexhibitionsinDublinsince1891.TheSociety’s
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Landscape. Dublin2013HutcHINsoN, J., James Arthur O’Connor. Dublin1985Kelly, J., Sport in Ireland 1600–1800. Dublin2014KeNNedy, B.P. and R. GIllesPIe (Eds.), Ireland: Art
into History.Dublin1994KeNNedy, R. (Ed.), Masquerade and Spectacle: The Circus
and the Travelling Fair in the Work of Jack B. Yeats. Dublin2007
KeNNedy,S.B.,Irish Art and Modernism 1880–1950.Belfast1991
KeNNedy,S.B.,Paul Henry. NewHavenandLondon2000KINmoNtH, C., Irish Rural Interiors in Art. NewHavenandLondon 2000
KReIlKamP,V.(Ed.),Rural Ireland: The Inside Story. Chicago 2012
le HaRIvel, A. (Ed.), Taking Stock: Acquisitions 2000–2010. Dublin2010
le HaRIvel, A., National Gallery of Ireland. Illustrated Summary Catalogue of Drawings, Watercolours and Miniatures.Dublin1983
le HaRIvel, a. and m. WyNNe., National Gallery of Ireland. Illustrated Summary Catalogue of Paintings. Dublin 1981
mccoNKey,K.,A Free Spirit: Irish Art 1860–1960. Woodenbridge1990
maGuIRe, D. and P. sWoRds., The Sketchbooks of Jack B. Yeats 1897–1955. Dublin2013
maRsHall,C.,‘PaintingIrishHistory:TheFamine’,History Ireland,Vol.4,3.1996
muRPHy, A., The Paintings of Paul and Grace Henry. TheHughLaneMunicipalGalleryofModernArt1991
muRRay, P., George Petrie (1790–1866): The Rediscovery of Ireland’s Past. Cork2004
muRRay, P. (Ed.),Whipping the Herring: Survival and Celebration in Nineteenth-Century Irish Art.Cork2006
o’coNNell, D. (catalogue), Mainie Jellett 1897–1944. Dublin 1991
o’coNNoR,É.,Seán Keating in Context: Responses to Culture and Politics in Post-Civil War Ireland. Dublin2009
o’sullIvaN N., Aloysius O’Kelly: Art, Nation, Empire. Dublin 2010
Pyle,H.,Cesca’s Diary 1913–1916: Where Art and Nationalism Meet. Dublin2009
Pyle,H.,Yeats: Portrait of an Artistic Family. London1997RoBINsoN, T., Stones of Aran: Pilgrimage. London1986RoBINsoN, T., Connemara: Part 1, Introduction & Gazetter,
Part 2, Map. Roundstone1990RooNey,B.(Ed.),A Time and a Place: Two Centuries
of Irish Social Life.Dublin2007RooNey,B.,The Life and Work of Harry Jones Thaddeus. Dublin2003
RooNey,B.,‘ErskineNicol,1825–1904’,Irish Paintings. Dublin2001
scott,Y.,The West as Metaphor. Dublin2005sHeeHy, J., Walter Osborne.Dublin1983sHeeHy, J., The Rediscovery of Ireland’s Past: The Celtic
Revival 1830–2930.London1980sNoddy, T., Dictionary of Irish Artists: 20th Century. Dublin 1996,secondprint2002
steWaRt, A.M., Irish Art Loan Exhibitions 1795–1927,Vols.1–3.Dublin1990and1995
steWaRt, A.M., Royal Hibernian Academy of Arts Index of Exhibitors 1826–1979,3Vols.Dublin1986and1987
stRIcKlaNd, W.G., A Dictionary of Irish Artists.2Vols.Dublin1913,reprinted1968
tuRPIN, J., A School of Art in Dublin since the 18th Century. Dublin1995
WalKeR, D., Modern Art in Ireland. Dublin1997
[email protected]/learning
asHfoRd, G., J. dRum, N. macNally and s. edmoNdsoN, Exploring Childhood at the National Gallery of Ireland 1570–1950.Dublin2014
BouRKe, M., Impressionism at the National Gallery of Ireland. Dublin2013
BouRKe, M. and s. edmoNdsoN, Irish Artists Painting in France c.1860–1910 at the National Gallery of Ireland. Dublin2013
SuggestionsforFurtherReadingArts in Education Charter,DepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltacht,andDepartmentofEducationandSkills.Dublin2012
aaleN,F.H.A.,K. WHelaN and m. stout (Eds.), Atlas of the Irish Rural Landscape. Cork,secondedition2001
aRNold,B.,Mainie Jellett and the Modern Movement in Ireland.LondonandNewHaven1991
BHReatHNacH-lyNcH, S., Ireland’s Art, Ireland’s History: Representing Ireland, 1845 to Present.Omaha2007
BouRKe, M., The Story of Irish Museums, 1790–2000. Cork2011,secondprinting2013
BouRKe,M.,‘Yeats,HenryandtheWesternIdyll’,History Ireland,Vol.2,2.2003
BouRKe,M.,‘AGrowingSenseofNationalIdentity.CharlesLamb(1893–1964)andtheWestofIreland’,History Ireland,Vol.8,1.2000
BouRKe,M.,‘FredericWilliamBurton1816–1900,PainterandAntiquarian’,Éire-Ireland, Journal of the Irish AmericanCulturalInstitute,StPauls,Minnesota,Vol.28,3.1993
BouRKe, M. and s. BHReatHNacH-lyNcH, Discover Irish Art. Dublin1999,reprinted2000.
BoylaN,H.(Ed.),A Concise Dictionary of Irish Biography. Dublin1998
caffRey,P.,‘SamuelLover’sAchievementasaPainter’, Irish Arts Review,Vol.3,1.1986
caHIll,K.,‘IntheMainstreamofIrishNaturalism:TheArtofLilianLucyDavidson1879–1954’,Irish Arts Review, Vol.15.1999
camPBell, J., Walter Osborne in the West of Ireland. Dublin 2004
camPBell, J., Nathaniel Hone the Younger.Dublin1991caRPeNteR, A. (Gen. Ed.), Art and Architecture of Ireland, Vol.2Painting1600–1900,Vol.5TwentiethCentury.Dublin,LondonandNewHaven2014
caRty, C., Robert Ballagh: Citizen Artist.Dublin2010collINs, T. (Ed.), Decoding the Landscape. Galway1990,reprinted1997
cRofts,S.,‘MauriceMacGonigalPRHA(1900–79)andhisWestern Paintings’, Irish Arts Review, Vol.13.1997
cRoKe,F.(Ed.),Art into Art: A Living Response to Past Masters. Dublin1998
cRoNIN, M., Sport and Nationalism in Ireland: Gaelic Games, Soccer and Irish Identity since 1884. Dublin1999
cRooKsHaNK, A. and tHe KNIGHt of GlIN, The Watercolours of Ireland c.1600–1914.London1994
cRooKsHaNK, A., and tHe KNIGHt of GlIN, Ireland’s Painters 1600–1940.NewHavenandLondon2002
cRoWley, J., W.J. smytH and m. muRPHy (Eds.), The Atlas of the Great Irish Famine. Cork2012
culleN,F.,Sources in Irish Art: A Reader. Cork2000culleN,F.,Visual Politics: The Representation of Ireland
1750–1930. Cork1997dalsImeR, A.M. (Ed.), Visualising Ireland, National Identity
and the Pictorial Tradition. BostonandLondon1993davIs, C. (Ed.), National Gallery of Ireland, Essential Guide. Dublin2008
de couRcy, C. and A. maHeR., Fifty Views of Ireland. Dublin 1985
duNlevy, M., Dress in Ireland. London1989duffy, T., Exploring the History and Heritage of Irish
Landscapes. Dublin2007eRRINGtoN,L.,Sir David Wilkie: Drawings into Paintings. NationalGalleryScotland1975
fIGGIs N. and B. RooNey., Irish Paintings in the National Gallery of Ireland, Vol.1.Dublin2001
fosteR,R.F.,The Oxford Illustrated History of Modern Ireland.Oxford1989,revisedasThe Oxford History of Ireland1992
GoRdoN BoWe, N., The Life and Work of Harry Clarke. Dublin1989,revisedandupdated2012
GRaves, A., The Royal Academy of Arts: A Complete Dictionary of Contributors and their Works from 1769–1904. London1905and1906
HaRBIsoN, P., William Burton Conyngham and His Irish Circle of Antiquarian Artists. NewHavenandLondon2012.
HaRBIsoN, P., ‘Our Treasure of Antiquities’, Beranger and Bigiari’s Antiquarian Sketching Tour of Connacht in 1779.BrayandDublin2002
HeWItt, J., Art in Ulster, Vol. 1. Belfast1977HoBsoN,B.,Saorstát Éireann Official Handbook. Dublin1932
HodGe, A., From Galway to Leenane: Perceptions of
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• Writealettertoapersoninthepaintingfromtheperspectiveofacharacterinnineteenth-centuryIreland,tellingthemaboutyourlife.Interviewtheperson,askingthemtotellyouaboutlifeintheircountry at that time.
Integrategeographyandthevisualartsbydrawingonmappingskillsusingthesepoints:• Onamapfindacountye.g.Mayo,oraregione.g.
JoyceCountry,oraprovincee.g.Connacht,depictedinseveralofthepaintings.
• Discusstherelativelocationsoftwoplacesandthedistancesbetweentheme.g.Co.ClareandCo.Sligo.
• MaptheprovinceofConnachtandnamethemaintownsineachcounty.
• Usemapstolocateandnamethemaingeographicalfeaturesinthesepaintingse.g.Burton’sIn Joyce Country, CollesWatkins’A View of the Killaries, MacGonigal’s Early Morning, Connemara (Mannin Bay), and O’Connor’s The Mill, Ballinrobe.
• Discussborderingcountiesandtheinfluencestheyhaveonacountye.g.Sligo.
Encourageinteractionbetweenmusic,dramaandthe visualarts:• Indrama,lookatactivitiesthatinvolvearole-
playorimprovisationonasceneinapainting,orbetweentwochildrene.g.O’Kelly’sMass in a Connemara Cabin orcharactersinapaintinge.g.Yeats’Before the Start or The Country Shop.
• Exploreasceneinapainting,anduseitasapretexte.g.Burton’sAran Fisherman’s Drowned Child. Encourage the students to dramatise the imagined priorsceneornextscene.Dramatechniques,suchasstill-life,thought-trackingandfreeze-framing,couldbedrawnintothiswork.
• Inmusic,considercomposingactivitiesbasedonsomeofthepaintingse.g.Petrie’sPilgrims at Saint Brigid’s Well, Dillon’s The Little Green Fields, Davidson’sFashions at the Fair,O’Kelly’sMass in a Connemara Cabin and use a range of sound sources
toinventandperformpiecesinspiredbytheseworks.
JuniorandSeniorCycle: Junior and Senior Cycle can use theseimagesinsupportstudiesforthepaintingsection,usingtheinformationtoexplainaspectsoftheirwork.SeeinformationonJuniorCertificateandshortcoursesbelow.It isimportantthatJuniorandSeniorCycleartstudentsvisittheNationalGalleryofIrelandonapre-bookedStructuredTourandbringdrawingmaterialstosketchfromthepaintings.OnarrivalattheGallery,asktheguidetoencouragediscussionandinteractioninordertounderstandthatpaintings involveaworldofpeopleandplaces,history,realandimaginedevents,natureandstill-life.Drawcomparisonswithotherworksof art, including those from earlier and more modern periods.Thismightinvolvetellingthestoryofanartist’slifeorformpartoftheirownresearch.SketchingintheGallerycanbeusedaspartofsupportstudies,projects,cartoons and storyboards.
TheJuniorCertificateA Framework for Junior Cycle(2012)includes‘creativityandinnovation’amongsteightprinciples,togetherwitheightkeyskills.ThelearningthatstudentsexperienceinJuniorCycle isdescribedthroughtwenty-fourstatementsoflearning,whichincludetheneedforstudentsto‘create,appreciateandcriticallyinterpretawiderangeoftexts’and ‘tocreateandpresentartisticworkandappreci-atetheprocessandskillsinvolved’.AsHistorystudentsstudyart-relatedthemes,suchastheArtoftheCelticmonasteries, and the Renaissance, and are encouraged tousevisualstimuli(includingpaintings)forhistoricalcomprehensiontasks,manyofthepaintingsinthisbookcouldprovidematerialforsecondandthird-yearlessonsinnineteenthandtwentieth-centuryruralandurbanlife(work,housing,leisure,etc.).
ShortcourseShortcoursesareconcernedwithcreating,appreciat-ingandinterpretingarangeoftexts,andmakingandpresentingartisticwork,whileunderstandingthepro-
Guidelines for TeachersSarahEdmondson
WestofIrelandPaintingsattheNationalGalleryofIrelandfrom1800to2000Seealsopdf@www.nationalgallery.ie/learningThis publication exploringWest of Ireland images isbasedonpaintingsfromtheNationalGalleryofIreland’scollectioncreatedbetweenthenineteenthandtwenti-ethcenturies,duringatimeofchangeandupheavalinIrishhistory,whenissuesofsubsistence,famine,emi-gration, customs and traditions and national identity wereimportant.Lookingatpaintingscreatedduringthisperiodcanassistintheunderstandingandappreciationof Irish history. Thisresourcecanbeusedatdifferent levelstoen-
hancethestudent’slearningopportunitieswithvisualimagerysoastoencourageengagementwithart-mak-inganddrawlinksandconnectionsbetweenartandthecurriculum.ItispossibletodiscussquerieswiththeNGIEducationOfficerresponsibleforteachersandschoolsateducation@ngi.ie.SincepublicationofThe Arts in Edu-cation Charter(2012),welookforwardtoseeingschoolsvisitingtheNationalGalleryofIrelandonguidedtourseachyear.Forbookings:[email protected].
PrimarySchool:TeachersknowthatthePrimarySchoolVisualArtsCurriculumencouragestheuseofappropri-atevisualvocabulary,whichisbestachievedbylookingandreactingtoworksofart.Lookingandrespondingin-volvesstudentslookingatartworkstoencouragealllev-els of ability. As children don’t need to be able to read to understandpaintings,respondingtoanimageprovidesan opportunity to develop language skills. Teacherscouldaskstudentstodescribewhattheyseeandhelpthemwithsuitablewords(under‘artterms’).Encouragethemtonamecolours(e.g.yellow),describethem(e.g.bright),identifywhereobjectsaresituatedinthepicture(e.g.thegirlisatthebackontheright),graduallyintro-ducingconcepts,suchasperspective,lightandshadow.Aspracticalartisincreasinginmuseumsandgalleries,encouragethemtobecreativeintheirart-making.Thecurricularlinksandprojectswillassiststudentstomakeimaginativeconnectionsandtoexpresstheirideasandfeelings throughdrawing, painting, constructing and
inventing.Thishelpsthemtoassimilateandrespondtoexperienceandtomakesenseofit.Usetheimagestotalkaboutthescale,techniqueandpainttextureofworksofart.Explainthatanoriginalpaintingisuniqueandprecious.VisittheNationalGalleryofIrelandonapre-bookedDiscoveryTour.ThePrimarySchoolVisualArtsCurriculumdrawsre-
lationshipsbetweenmaking,lookingatandrespondingtoart,andsuggestssixareasbywhichchildrencanin-terprettheworld:drawing,paintandcolour,print,clay,construction, fabricandfibre.Thesecanbeused fordiscussion,tomakecross-curricularlinks,andtotryouttheprojectswitheachagegroup.
ApplicabletoAllLevelsofTeachingInteachinghistoryconsider:• Theyearofthecreationofoneofthepaintings.
Plot the date on a timeline.• DiscusskeyeventsinnationalorEuropeanhistory
aroundthedateoftheartworkandmakelinksbetweentheseeventsandthethemeofthepainting.
• Notethetypeandnatureofthework/activitydepictedinthepainting.
• Discussthefiguresandclothingandifithaschangedovertime?
• Whatarethemainmodesoftransportinthreeoftheworks?
• Discussoneofthelandscapesdepicted–whatareitsmainfeatures?Isitruraland/orremote,andhowmightthatlandscapehavechangedorstayedthesameovertime?
• Makedeductionsregardingthechildren,thepeopleandthesocietyinwhichtheylived.Askquestions–why,whatif,andhowdoweknow?
• Createaclose-updrawingofoneortwoofthechildreninapainting.
• Discussthelandscape/seascapesettings,thebuilding’sinterior/exterior,theirfeatures,andhowtheymighthavechanged?
• PaintordrawascenefromIrishhistoryduringthenineteenth century.
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inpaintings,drawings,printsandsculptureusingtheonlinecollectionatwww.nationalgallery.ie.TransitionYearisanidealopportunitytoorganiseaguidedtourandworkshopexploringthecollectionsoftheNationalGallery of Ireland.
LeavingCertificate:ThispublicationisdirectlylinkedtotheLeavingCertificateArtHistorysyllabus.Therangeofmediaandtechniques,thesubjectpictures,theland-scapesandseascapes,theportrayalofpeopleandthesettingsareallrelevanttoSeniorCyclearteducation.Theintroductoryessaycanbecombinedwithdetailsofthepaintings,theartist’slife,thetimelineandthesocialhistoryoftheperiod.Historystudentscanundertakespecialresearchstudiesonthelifeandworksofartists,especiallyiftheycanlinkthetopicstomeaningfulsocialand cultural historical themes, such as those listed in thisbook.UsetheNGIexhibitionnotesandLeavingCer-tificateArtinformation,andorganiseastructuredvisittotheNationalGalleryof Irelandtoviewtheoriginalworksofart.Theprocessofinvestigationanddevelop-ment is essential in order for students to be able to cre-atethebestpossibleartwork.Studentsandteacherscan seek support from theNGI’s SchoolsOfficewith thenewCourseworkWorkbook in researching initialthemesusingavarietyofrelevantmediaandmaterials,investigatingpossibleroutestotakewithcoursework, developingideasandproposals,andsketchingpiecesof art in real time. See information on NGI collections at www.nationalgallery.ie.
ThemesThe paintings have been grouped under six specific themesinordertodemonstratehowpaintingscanbe usedtounderstandcomplexconcepts inhistoryandsociety.Discussionpointsandprojectsareaimedaten-couragingactivelearningandparticipation:• AVisualHistory:Irelandinthe1900s.• IrishTraditions,CultureandHeritage.• Romantic Ideals and Notions about the West.• PovertyandEmigration.• Religion in Ireland.
• Agricultural Ireland.• IrishLandscapePainting.
cessesinvolved.Theyoffertheopportunityofdevisinganddeliveringnewwaysoflearning.TheframeworkforJuniorCyclewilloffertheoptionofschool-developedArtHistory‘shortcourses’forwhichthisbookisideal.ItcouldbeusedbyteacherstoformaminicoursedrawingonIrishhistoryandtheArts,lookingatartandliteraturecreatedinIrelandinthenineteenthandtwentiethcentu-riesandthenationaleventsthatinformedandinspiredthem.Subjects involvedareArt, English,HistoryandBusinessStudies.Thestudentscanbeencouragedtopresenttheresultsofthisresearchinavisuallyinterest-ingwayaspartoftheshortcoursedemonstratinganunderstandingofthehistoryanddevelopmentoftheWestofIreland.Itcanformaminicourse,drawingonotherthemes,includingwar,poverty,famine,emigra-tion,costume,education,music,oralhistory,travelandtransport,andcustomsandtraditions,drawingcross-curricularlinkswithmusic,literature,design,filmandthesocialandculturalhistoryoftheperiod.NationalGalleryofIrelanddownloadablepdfsarebeingprovidedasresourcesforshortcourses,whichwehopewillcon-necttothelivesandlearningof12-15yearolds.Referto the NCCA for guidelines on statements of learning, linkstokeyskills(e.g.literacyandnumeracy),learningoutcomes,strands,in-schoolassessmentetc.Learningaimsandoutcomes:UsetheNGIwebsiteto
lookatthecollectionsonline.Tryplacingtheminawiderarthistoricalcontextbydescribingthesocialcontextandcomparingandcontrastingtheworksaccordingtotheirsubjectmatterandformalqualities.Seetheseasnewwaysoflearning. Thediscussionpointsandprojectsad-dresssomelearningoutcomes:• UnderstandingIrishnationalidentity/identities–
whatitmeansandhowthisisformed.• Irishhistory–keyeventsandfigures.• Keyliteraryfigures–theirlifeandwork.• Keypainters–theirlifeandwork.• TheWestofIrelandasthetrueIreland?• Thechanginglandscape(agriculturaltoscenic
to urban). • The loss of the Irish language. • PostcardIreland–whatdoesthismean?
• Explaintheterms‘landscapepainting’and‘portraitpainting’;howdotheydiffer?
• Describesomeofthemediumandtechniquesusedbytheartistsinthisbook.Nameanumberofartistsinvolvedinlandscapepaintinganditsdevelopment.
• Discussthedifferences,styles,contentandtechniquesbetweenanearlyworke.g.O’Connor,alatenineteenth-centurywork,e.g.Osborne,anearlytwentieth-centuryworke.g.HenryorYeats,and amodernpaintingbyJellettorBallagh.
• Listanddescribefoursubjectpaintingsillustratingordinarylife–whatisthesubjectmatterandwhatdistinguishesthesepaintingsfromtheotherworks inthebook?
• The lure of the West.• TheWestasasignificantplaceforartistsand
writers.• TravelandthetrainingofIrishartists.• The‘Irishness’ordistinctivenessoftheIrish
landscape.• Access to the West of Ireland in the nineteenth
century.
TransitionYear:Imagesonscreensarepartofevery-daylife–encouragestudentstoarticulatetheirviewsaboutthepaintingsinthisbook.Theircriticalsensecanbedevelopedbyaskingthemtodiscusswhattheyseeandavoidingdetailsaboutartists’ lives,asithaslittleto dowith the looking experience. Introduce pointsabouttheartistwhentheyareexploringwhyapaintingwasmade,thesourceofinspiration,andhowtheart-istachievedcertaineffects.Thisbookformsacompactmodule forthemeworkandasalmostallTYstudentsstudyeitherArtorHistoryintheJuniorCertificate,theywillbefamiliarwithbasicarttermsanddescriptions.Themesthatcanbeexploredinclude:portrayinglifeintheWestfromthenineteenthtothetwentiethcenturies,depictingfamilylife,themovefrompicturesquescenestomore realistic landscapes, the roleofwomenandtheplaceofpeopleinthelandscape.Tailordiscussionpointsandprojects.Tracethechanginghistoryofthewestof IrelandbydrawingontheGallery’scollection
50 51
FredericWilliamBurton,The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child,1841Discussion points:• Discussthiswesternpre-Faminepaintingshowing
customs and traditions.• Doyouthinkthetraditionsorcustomsofdeath
sincepre-FamineIreland,1850s,havechanged?Ifso,whathaschangedandwhathaslargelyremainedthesame?
• Isthedrownedchildfromawealthyorworking-classfamily?Howdoyouknow?
• Whatis‘keening’andcanyouidentifythekeeners inthispainting?
• Whatkindofcrossisabovethedoor.Whatisit madefromandwhatdoesitsymbolise?
Projects: • Researchdifferenttypesofcrossesorreligious
symbolsfromaroundtheglobeanddifferentreligions(Christian/Maltese/StBrigid’s/TheStarofDavid).Drawandmakecrossesusingdifferentmaterials.Researchtheirmeaninganddisplayinthe school.
• Researchanddiscussthenotionoffairykidnappingandothersuperstitiousbeliefs.
FredericWilliamBurton, Paddy Conneely, (d.1850), a Galway Piper, c.1840Discussion points:• MusicisabigpartofIrishculture.Nametraditional
Irishinstruments?• What other area of the Arts or art form is Ireland
knownfor?• WhatmaterialdidBurtonuseandisitaformal
orinformalportrait?Why?Projects: • Makeadrawingofamusicalinstrumentusing
watercolourorinks.• Position a model on a chair holding an instrument.
Sketchthemfromobservationusingthecorrectproportionsofthefigure.NotethepositionofPaddyConneelyonthepage–heisnotinthecentreandheiscropped.Createaninteresting
compositiononyourpagebyplacingthefigureinthe bottom right corner or the bottom left.
JackB.Yeats,Before the Start,1915Discussion points: • JackB.Yeatslovedracemeetings.Canyouthink
ofanyothertypicalIrishsport?• TheYeats’familywereimportantforIrishculture
andheritage.WhowasJackB.Yeats’brotherandwhatishefamousfor?
• Haveyouattendedaracemeeting?Describetheatmosphereandpeopleandwhattheywear.Whatisabookieandwhatdotheydo?Whatisaracecardusedfor?
Projects: • Peopleoftenwearahattotheraces.SeeinYeats’
Before the Start,1915,anumberofhatstyles.Designandmakeahatfromcolouredpaperandcardfor‘LadiesDayattheRaces’.Whathappenson‘LadiesDay’attheraces?
• Whydojockeyswearbrightcostumes?Designacolourfuljockey’stopandcap.
JackB.Yeats(1871–1957),The Country Shop, c.1912Discussion points:• JackB.Yeatswasfascinatedbyplaceslikeshops,
circuses,fairs,harbours,racesandfunerals,wherepeoplegatheredtosocialise,dobusinessortorelax.Discuss.
• Memoryexercise.Lookcarefullyatthepicture. Closeyoureyesandlisteverything.
• Yeatswasanillustrator–describewhatthismeansusingexamplesofhiswork.
Projects:• Writeanimaginativestoryaboutthelifeofthe
countrywomaninthispicture.• ThiscountryshopissetintheWestin1912.Draw
theinteriorofashopthatyoumightfindintheWestofIrelandinthe2000s.Howisitdifferent?
AVisualHistory:Irelandinthe1900sUsethesepaintingstounderstandthesocialandpoliti-calsituationofIrelandinthe1900s.Cross-curricular links:Art,History,Geography,Englishand CSPE
RobertBallagh,Portrait of Noel Browne, (1915–1997), Politician,1985Discussion points: • Whatstyleisthisportraitpaintedin?• Whydoyouthinkthispaintingiscruciformin
shape?Doyouthinkitwouldlookbetterifitwasrectangular?
• WhatisplacedatthefootofNoelBrowne?Aretheserealobjects?Whydidtheartistplacethemthere?
• WhereisNoelBrowneinthispaintingandhow doyouknow?
Projects: • Researchanddiscussanewproposalorlegislation
undertakenbyaspecificgrouporapoliticianinIrelandinthetwentiethortwenty-firstcenturies, orcreateyourownproposal.Organiseadebate(basedonevidence)inordertodiscussthis.
• Paintordrawaportraitofaninspirationalcharacter.Includecluesinyourportraittotellussomethingaboutthecharacterandwhytheyhaveinspiredyou.Encloseyourportraitinadifferentshape,likeBallagh,orincludesomerealobjectsinyourartwork.
SadbhTrínseach(1891–1918),Claude Chavasse Teaching an Irish Class on Achill Island, Co. Mayo,1913–14Discussion points: • Whatishappeninginthisimage?Whatageare
thechildren?Whoistheteacher?• Isthisclassroomdifferenttoyourclassroom?
Whatisdifferentaboutit?• Describethemedium,marksortechniqueused
intheexecutionofthisimage.
Projects: • ResearchanddiscusstheprohibitionoftheIrish
languageinthe1900s.MakealistofwaysinwhichtheIrishgovernmenthastriedtosalvagetheIrishlanguage.ShouldwetrytosavetheIrishlanguage?Whatelsecouldwedotosaveit?
• Whatinitiativescouldbeimplementedinyourschool to highlight the declining use of Irish, e.g.makeschoolsignsinIrish,designposterspromotingtheIrishlanguage,etc.
• AnalyseTrínseach’sstyle.Makeasimilarcharcoaldrawingofyourclassroom.
IrishTraditions,Culture,andHeritageUsetheseimagesoftheWestinordertoexplorewhat itmeanstobeIrishandtofindoutwherethesenotions of‘Irishness’camefromandhowtheydeveloped.Cross-curricular links:Art,History,CSPEandESS
LilianLucyDavidson,Fashions at the Fair, c.1940sDiscussion points: • Thefarmersmarketorfairisacommonactivity.
Haveyoueverbeentoafairormarketandcouldyoudescribetheexperience?
• Whatisbeingsoldatthefair?Whattimeofyeardoyouthinkitisandwhy?
• Notehowpeopledressedinthe1940s.Hasfashionchangedsincethen?Whydoesthenatureandstyle ofclotheschange?
Projects: • Afleamarketiswherepeopleselloldbelongings
ratherthanthrowingthemaway.Isthisagoodidea?Organiseafleamarketinyourschool.Donatethe money to charity or use it to buy materials for theartroom.Whattodo:getpermissionfromtheschoolprincipal,designpostersseekinggoodquality,unwanteditems,collecttheitems,designaposteradvertisingthemarketandsetupandorganise the stalls.
• Writeanimaginativestoryaboutacharacterin thispainting.
Portrait of Noel Browne p.41 Aran Fisherman p.25Claude Chavasse Teaching Irish p.15 Paddy Conneely p.11Fashions at the Fair p.34 Before the Start p.32
52 53
• WhydidKeatingpainther?Hashewitnessedorimaginedthisscene?
• DidhespendtimeontheAranIslands?Whatare themeninthebackgrounddoing?
• Whattransportdidpeopleusetotravelinthe1930s?Howdopeopletraveltoday?
Projects: • Writeapoemaboutthisladyontheislandand
her thoughts.• Doaprojectonemigration,comparingthe1930sto
the2010s.Dothestudentsknowanyonewhohasemigrated?Whereto?Wheredidpeopleemigratetointhe1900s?Whattransportdidtheyuse?LookatdifferentcountriesonmapsandusetheinternettovisualisetheIrishdiaspora.Films,paintings,photographsandbookshavebeenbasedonIrishemigrantstotheUSA,Australiaetc.Useassupportstudies.
WalterFredericOsborne,A Galway Cottage,1893Discussion points:• Howmanypeopleareinthecottage?Aretheyrich
orpoor?Elderlyoryoung?• Dotheylivealone?Ifsowhatdoyouthink
happenedtotheirchildren?• Theladyintheforegroundlooksverysad.Whatdo
youthinksheisthinkingabout?• Doyouthinkitiswarmorcoldinthecottage?
Howdoesthispaintingmakeyoufeel?Projects: • Parentsfindithardwhentheirchildrenemigrate
orgoawaytogainnewexperiences.Isiteasiertocopewiththisinthetwenty-firstcenturythroughmobilephones,internet,Skypeetc.?ImagineyouhavegonetoAmericain1893.Writealettertoyourfamilydescribingtheexperiences–howandwhoyoutravelledwith,howlongittook,thepeopleyoumet.
• Makeaclose-uppaintingordrawingofthiswoman’sface.Trytoshowhersadexpressionandherage.Includeherhairandshawl.
ReligioninIrelandUsetheseimagestoexploretherituals,practicesandrepresentationofCatholicisminearlytwentieth-centuryIreland. Cross-curricular links:Art,HistoryandReligion
GeorgePetrie,Pilgrims at Saint Brigid’s Well, Liscannor, Co. Clare, c.1829–30Discussion points: • Whatapilgrimisandwhydopeoplegoon
pilgrimagestoplaceslikeStBrigid’sWell.• Wouldpeoplegoonapilgrimagenowordoyou
knowanybodywhohasgoneonapilgrimage– whatwastheirexperiencelike?
• WhendidChristianitycometoIreland? WhendidthefestivalofLughnasatakeplace?
Projects: • WriteoutandillustratethestoryofStBrigid.• Paintalandscapescenethatcontainswaterfrom
observationorfromyourimagination.ObservehowtheriverinPetrie’spaintingzig-zagsintothedistance.
AloysiusO’Kelly,Mass in a Connemara Cabin,c.1883Discussion points: • Whywasthepracticeofconductingsacramentsin
people’shouses ratherthaninchapelscommon innineteenthandearlytwentieth-centuryIreland?
• Whatdoesthepictureonthewalltellyouabouttheownersofthehouse?
• Describetheatmosphereinthispainting–calm,quiet,warm,spiritual,homely,pious.
• Notethespaceintheroofmadefromtimber. Whatwasitusedfor?
Projects: • Observetheflickeringofacandleandtrytorecord
thelightusingoranges,yellows,redsandwhite. Tryusingoilpastelsongreysugarpaper.
• Research the ornate robes of the Catholic clergy ortherobesofanyreligiousperson.Describethecoloursandpatternsusedontherobesandgarments.
RomanticIdealsandNotionsabouttheWest IstheWestofIrelanddifferent;whydidartistsgotheretopaintthepeopleandthelandscape;didvisitingartistsintegrateordidtheyfeellikeoutsiders?Explorethesethemes.Cross-curricular links:Art,History,Geography,Scienceand English
WalterFrederickOsborne,A Galway Cottage,c.1893Discussion points: • Discusswhatishappeninginthispainting–
thepeopleandwhattheyaredoing.• Describethepaintingtechniqueandcoloursused
andtheatmosphereitcreates.DoesitmakeyouthinkofoldIreland?Explainwhy.Whyaretherenochildren?
• Wouldyouliketoliveinacottagewithoutwater,electricity,toilet,amobilephone?
Projects: • ResearchandwriteastoryaboutlifeinGalway
c.1893.Describethecottage,itsrooms,wholivesthere,whattheydo–workonafarm,wheredotheycollectwater?
• SourceimagesofanddrawWesterncottagesandmakeminiaturemodelsofthem.
CharlesVincentLamb,Loch an Mhuilinn,1930sDiscussion points: • Describethestyleofthispainting.Isitrealistic?• Whatishappening,whereisLochanMhuilinn,
andwhatisthewomandoing?• Whatistheroofmadefrom?Whyareveryfew
contemporaryroofsmadefromthismaterial? Doanyenvironmentalistsusethismaterialtoday?
• Lambpaintsanidyllicimageoflifeinthe1930s. Wasiteasythen,anddidhethinkso?
• ImagessuchasthesehavebeenusedtosellIreland totourists.Explainanddiscuss.
Projects:• DesignasetofIrishpostcardsforIreland;usethe
paintingsofLamb,Yeats,Keating,MacGonigalandHenryasinspiration.
• Thinkaboutthepastandhowpeoplewashedtheirclothesandthemselves,cookedfood,andboiledwater.Whatdoweusetodaytoaiduswiththesetasks?e.g.kettle,washingmachine,showeretc. Designafutureproducttohelpwithadailytask.
AugustusBurke(c.1838–1891),A Connemara GirlDiscussion points: • Whatageisthegirlinthispaintingandwhatisshe
collecting?• Doesthispaintingaccuratelyrecordwhatlifewas
likeforthisyounggoatherder?Projects: • BurkevisitedConnemaraandwasinterestedin
drawingandpaintinglocalpeopleandscenery,havingpaintedrealisticsubjectslikethisinBrittany.Makeapainting,drawingorphotographofapersoninyourlocalarea.Capturetheroleofthispersonbyplacingtheminaspecificlocation(e.g.thelocalbutcheroutsideofhisshopetc.).
• ResearchthenativefloraoftheBurren,Co.Clare–doesitdiffertoConnemara,Co.Galway?Whatconditionsenablethefloratothriveineitheroftheseenvironments?
PovertyandEmigrationinIrelandManyIrishfamilieslivedinpovertyduringmuchofthenineteenthcentury,especiallythoselivingofftheland,andtheysufferedfurtherhardshipaftertheGreatFam-ine(1845–1850).Theharshlivingconditionscausedpeo-pletoemigrate,apatternthatcontinuedinthetwentiethcentury.Usepaintings todiscusspoverty,emigrationanditseffectonIreland.Cross-curricular links:Art,HistoryandGeography
SeánKeating,A Seascape with Figures,1930sDiscussion points: • Istheladyseatedintheforegroundrichorpoor?
Whyandwhatisshethinkingabout?
Loch an Mhuilinn p.33 Galway Cottage p.29Connemara Girl p.27 St Brigid’s Well p.33Seascape with Figures p.18 Mass in a Connemara Cabin p.28
54 55
• Arethereotherpeopleontheisland?Doyouthinkthereisastormcoming?
• WouldyouliketovisittheAranIslands?Doyouthinktheyarethesameastheywereinthe1900s?Whatdoyouthinkmighthavechanged?
Projects: • IrelandisanislandwiththeIrishSeaononeside
and the Atlantic Ocean on the other. There are manysmallislandsoffthecoastofIreland.LookatoldmapsofIrelandandseehowtheshapeofthecountryhaschanged.Explaincoastalerosion.
• WhatshapewillIrelandhave10,000yearsfromnow?DrawanaerialviewofIreland.
KittyWilmerO’Brien,Clew Bay from Murrisk, Co. Mayo, 1950sKittyWilmerO’Brien,Near Westport, Co. MayoDiscussion points: • DescribethelandscapeinO’Brien’spaintings?
DoesherworklooklikeIreland–why?• Describeherpaintingtechnique.Examinehow
shehastreatedthesky.• TheWestisoftenbelievedtobethetruermore
authenticIreland.Doyouagree?DoesthescenerymatchourvisionandisthatusedtopromoteIrelandtotourists?
Projects: • PaintalandscapeinasimilarstyleasO’Brien,
usingboldcoloursandbrushstrokes.• Describewhatyoumightseewalkingonthepathin
thepaintingNear Westport, Co. Mayo.
NathanielHoneII,The Cliffs of Moher, County Clare, c.1890Discussion points: • TheCliffsofMoherareamajortouristattraction.
Name another tourist attraction. • WouldyouvisitIrelandasatourist?Wouldyousee
itdifferentlyifyouwerenotIrish?• Doyoulikethecoloursinthispainting?Describe
thebrushstrokes.Projects: • Makeawatercolourpaintingofanaturalorpopular
tourist attraction. • Examineandanalysetourismcampaigns.How
isthiscountrypromotedandsoldtotourists?Generateyourownopinionabouttheseadvertsandcampaigns. Aretheytruthful?Howcouldtheybeimproved?
JackB.Yeats,A Cleric, 1913Discussion points: • Whereisthispriestbasedandhowdoyouknow?
Notetheenvironmentaroundhim.• WhatdoyouthinkisYeats’opinionofthisman?
Doeshethinkhighlyofhim?• Whatmediumisthisimagepaintedin?Describe
the colour theme. • ThepriesthadanimportantroleinIrelandinthe
1900s.Howhasthischanged?Projects: • Yeatspaintedthisimageofaclerictoaccompanya
passageinGeorgeA.Birmingham’sbookIrishmen All. Thisbookwasamildlysatirical,humorousstudyonthemaincharactersofaprovincialtown.NamethemaincharactersofasmalltowninIreland?Writeaboutamaincharacterfromyourtownorschool.
• Provideanillustrationforyourdescriptivepassage(Research Irishmen All.ReadthepassagesandenjoyYeats’illustrationsofthedifferentcharacters).
AgriculturalIrelandIrelandhasasignificantreputationasanagriculturalcountryduetothehighqualityofIrishfarmed,fishedandpackagedfoods.Usethesepaintingstodiscussandexplain this long-standing tradition.Discusshowthistraditionmightbedevelopedinthetwenty-firstcentury.Cross-curricular links: Art, History, Geography andHomeEconomics
PaulHenry,The Potato Diggers,1912Discussion points: • Whatarethesepeoplediggingforanddoyouthink
itiseasywork?• In the nineteenth century many families struggled
tosurvive.Conditionsweretoughandmanyfarmershadlessthan15acres.Artists,suchasHenry,Yeats,KeatingandLamb,portrayedtheseworkersinaheroicmanner.Why?
• DescribethecompositionandHenry’sstyleofpainting.
Projects: • Drawapersonatworkordoingexercise.• Henrywasgoodatpaintingcloudsgivingthem
volumeandmass.Lookatcloudsandmakeadetailedstudyusingdifferenttonalvariationstocreate the illusion of form.
• Theever-changingskyisthekeytoWesternlandscapes.Discuss.
GerardDillon,The Little Green Fields, c.1946–50Discussion points: • Whereisthispaintingsetandhowdoyouknow?
Describetheflat,colourful,simplestyle.• Discusswhatishappening–doesthepicture
describe rural Ireland (the cottages, high crosses, dolmenandruins)andportrayanancientcountrywitharichheritage?
Projects: • Dillon’spaintingislikeamapoftheWest.Drawa
bird’seyeviewofyourarea.• Thispaintingdoesnotcontainperspective.Explain
whatonepointperspectiveisandusethispainting toshowhowyoucandistortperspectivetocreate an image.
IrishLandscapePaintingTheIrishlandscapeisattractivetotouristsanditreflectscertaincharacteristics,e.g.wild,rugged,lush,green,hilly,stonyandcoastal.Whatotherfeaturescanyousuggest?Learnabouthowthisimagewascreatedandwhetheritisatruedepictionofthecountryornot.Cross-curricular links: Art, History, Geography and Science
GeorgePetrie,Dun Aonghasa, Inishmore, Aran Islands, c.1827Discussion points: • TheAranIslandsareofftheGalwaycoast.
Inishmoreisthelargest.Petrieshowsamanwithhis daughter on the edge of the island. They are verysmallincomparisontothecliffedgeandwaves.Howdoesthismakeyoufeel?
A Cleric p. 17 Dun Aonghusa p.6Potato Diggers p.31 Near Westport p.38Little Green Fields p.37 Cliffs of Moher p.12
56 57
3)Comparetwodifferentpaintingsfromthesameeraorpaintedinasimilarstyle:• MainieJellett(1897–1944),Achill Horses,1941• GerardDillon(1916–1971),The Little Green Fields,c.1946–50
artist title date subjectmatter style technique
Jellett AchillHorses 1940s HorsesonAchillIsland modern,flat,cubist,geometric,complex
oilpaint
Dillon TheLittleGreenFields
1940s Farm,WestofIreland modern,childish,flat,playful,colourful
oilpaint
PaulHenry’sThe Potato Diggers,1912(p.33).Perspectiveiscreatedbyoverlapping. Thefiguresareinfrontofthemountainbecausetheyoverlapthemountain.Themountain isinfrontoftheskybecauseitoverlapstheclouds.Atmosphericperspectiveiswhenthingsinthebackgroundormiddlegroundturnashadeofbluee.g.likethemountaininthispainting.
Compare(Similarities)andContrast(Differences)ProjectLearninghowtoobserveandimprovingvisualliteracycanbeachievedbycomparingandcontrastingtwodifferentpaintings.
Compare(similarities)andcontrast(differences)accordingto:Subjectmatter Style Technique Artist Date
Someexamples:1)Comparetwodifferentpaintingsbythesameartist:• FredericWilliamBurton(1816–1900),In Joyce Country (Connemara, Co. Galway),c.1840• FredericWilliamBurton,The Aran Fisherman’s Drowned Child,1841
artist title date Subjectmatter style technique
Burton In Joyce Country c.1840 Connemara,Galway,landscape,stonewallandcottage,younggirlwithshawlandbasket,life in the country, dress and fashion
sketchy,paleearthtones
watercolour
Burton The Aran Fisherman’sDrownedChild
1841 death, countryside, family, old traditions, genre scene, life in the country, dress and fashion
finishedpainting,realistic, light shining through the house, highlights and shadows
watercolourusingoverlapping layerstoachievericher colours
2)Comparetwodifferentpaintingswithsomewhatsimilarsubjectmatter:• BartholomewCollesWatkins(1833–1891), A View of the Killaries, from Leenane• SeánKeating(1889–1977),A Seascape with FiguresorPaulHenry(1876–1958),Launching the Currach,
1910–11
artist title date subjectmatter style technique
Watkins AViewoftheKillaries,fromLeenane
Connemara,theWest,Killaryharbour,menatworkintheevening,goingouttosea,mountainsandmist,landscape,agenre scene
veryfinished,realistic,atmospheric,duskypurplesandpinks
oilpaint,atmosphericandlinearperspective
Keating
Henry
ASeascape withFiguresLaunchingtheCurrach
The Aran Islands, Connemara, Achill Island, the West, harbour,thesea,menatworkintheday,observer,cominghome,genresceneandland/seascape
earth colours, highlights, some bright colours,areasrapidlypainted,areasmoresmoothlypainted
oilpaint,differentplanestoshowperspectivehorizonline foreground detailbackgrounddetail
Left Centre Right
Shadowsin the folds of thedrapery
Tone creating mass or form
Differenttones usedtoshow textureoftheearth
Foreground:twoladiesstanding on a mound of earth
Middleground:blue mountain
Background: skywithclouds
58 59
VisualLiteracyProjectUse some of these art terms to discuss and describe paintings:• Photocopysomeofthearttermsas‘flashcards’.• Cutupthewordsandusetheminindividual
projectsand/orinagroupwork.• Displaythearttermsaroundonthewallofthe
classroomsothestudentshavetheopportunitytostudythem.Placethestudent-maderesponseswitheach art term.
• Givethestudentsathemeforacollageusingarttermse.g.awindsweptlandscapeonastonyoutcrop.Selectthewordscarefullysothethemeof the collage can be understood. Allocate time for thisproject.Whencompleted,askthestudentstodescribeandexplaintheircollage.
• Circulatetheseriesofarttermswithimagesofthepaintings.Askthestudentstoselectwhateverwordsbestdescribeeachoftheartworks.Alloweverystudenttheopportunitytodiscussanddescribeanartworktotheclass.
• Suggestmakinganartwork,usingonlytwocolours inresponsetoanartterm.Exhibitalltheworksintheclassroomsothedifferentresponsescanbeseen.Askeachstudenttodiscusstheirchoiceofartterm,whytheyselectedthosecoloursandwhatdotheyfeelistheeffectorbenefitofpaintinginjust twocolours?
Visual Literacy and Art Terms
Visual literacy is learninghow to read anddiscuss apainting. It istryingtofigureoutwhatthepainting isabout,orwhattheartististryingtosay,bysolelylook-ingatthepaintingorobject.Beingabletotalkaboutartisanimportantpartofbothactivelearningandtheenjoymentofart.Thismaterialishelpfulinthedevelop-mentofgeneralliteracyskills,justasconcepts,likescale,size,perspective,proportionetc.,canbeusedinsupportofartisticnumeracy.Usethepaintingstructuredwithwordstohelpdiscussanddescribepaintings.
ArttermsanddescriptivelanguageCategory:Landscape Seascape Genrescene Historical Narrative
Descriptivewords: Usethesewordstohelpyoudiscuss/describeworksofart:Rugged Barren Wild Windy CoastalRich Earthly Dangerous Bleak DryRocky Idyllic Beautiful Peaceful EmptyCrowded Dull Grey Cloudy OvercastStormy Sunny Bright Dark UnspoiledAgricultural Painterly Pattern Shape/form RuralFeatures Mood Imaginative Evocative PortrayShadows Shade Movement Sketch RusticFresh Warm Solitary Free IsolatedLandscape Seascape Misty Stony Open-airpainting
Paintingstyle/techniques:Messy Neat Rigid Expressive Impressionistic ImpastoFlat Realistic Controlled Outlined Defined
Mood:Sad Sentimental Lonely Happy EnergeticChildish Mysterious Moody Atmospheric
Paintingmaterials:Oil Watercolours Charcoal Pencil Chalks Inks
60 III
National Gallery of Ireland: CarolineClarke,IrinaCleary,JoanneDrum,SinéadFarrelly,LydiaFurlong,RoyHewson,AnneHodge,ValerieKeogh,RaffaellaLanino,CaomhánMacConIomaire,MarieMcFeely,AndrewMoore,OrlaO’Brien,CaoilteOMahony,SeanRainbird,BrendanRooneyandNGIDigitalMediaServices:AndreaLydonandCatherine Ryan MaryDaly,JulieDauntandNicolaGordonBowe
TheDepartmentofArts,HeritageandtheGaeltachtTheDepartmentofEducationandSkillsInassociationwithMatheson
Published in 2014 byThe National Gallery of IrelandMerrionSquareWestDublin 2Ireland
Text Copyright©MarieBourke,DonalMaguire(listed entries), Sarah Edmondson (guidelines for teachers), andtheNationalGalleryofIreland2014.
Allrightsreserved.Nopartofthispublicationmaybereproduced,storedinaretrievalsystem,ortransmittedinanyformorbyanymeans,electronic,mechanical,photocopying,recordingorotherwise,withoutthepriorpermissionoftheNationalGallery of Ireland.
Designer: Jason EllamsEditor:MarieBourkeCopy Editor: Penny IremongerPrinted in Ireland by:
All photos ©NationalGalleryofIreland
Cover:KittyWilmerO’Brien(1910–1982), Clew Bay from Murrisk, County Mayo,1950s. Oilonboard,36x71cm.Purchased,2000.NGI.4682Photo©NationalGalleryofIreland.©TheArtist’sEstate.
Inside front/back cover:MapofIrelandandofthe West of Ireland
ISBN978-1-904288541
Acknowledgements
LEITRIM
SLIGOMAYO
^^^
^^
^^
GALWAY
ROSCOMMON
CLARE
SLIGO
CASTLEBAR
ACHILL ISLAND
ARAN ISLANDS
Cliffs of Moher
The Burren
Lough Derg
River Shannon
Ben Bulben
Croagh PatrickMweelrea Mts.
Twelve Pins
GALWAY BAY
WESTPORT
CLIFDEN
ROSCOMMON
GALWAY
ENNIS
ATLANTIC OCEAN
ST. GEORGE'S CHANNEL
Lough Ree
Lough Allen
The West of Ireland
IV